I received a text message from a university friend moments after I packed my car to head to school for my spring semester. As I read the words on the screen, my stomach dropped. No spring break this semester.
The St. Bonaventure University spring 2021 academic calendar had been released earlier that day with no mention of any break. Burnt out from online classes and social distancing, I worried for the nonstop semester ahead of me.
Like many schools across the country, Bonaventure canceled its traditional spring break to limit travel during the coronavirus pandemic. That means this semester, college students work for 15 weeks straight, without much of a break.
Universities have tried to mend the situation by granting students five sporadic instruction-free days. These days occur in the middle of week, so students won’t be tempted to make a trip far from campus.
To slow the spread of COVID-19, this plan proves almost faultless. But what are the consequences of this change in semester routine?
A national non-profit organization, Active Minds, reported that students said the nonstop semester has had negative effects on their mental well-being.
One April 2021 survey reported that 80% of college students experience more sadness after this year of online learning and social isolation than ever before. Screened since September 2020, 2,086 college students answer questions each month regarding their mental wellbeing. This month’s report shows the highest percent of depression and isolation since the study began.
Slowing the spread of the virus remains essential, and to do so, attempting to limit travel is needed. But are class-free days really allowing university students to gain the mental rest they need?
Last semester, students headed home for an extended break, rather than working straight through the 15 weeks. This strategy did its job at stopping the spread and giving students a break. Fifty-one percent of students preferred it this way.
This semester, instead of catching up on mental rest, many students, including myself, spend their days off catching up on homework. With classes the day before and assignments due the following day, studies must take place on the day off.
Twelve weeks into the semester, I find myself struggling to complete minuscule assignments. Working restlessly for weeks on end in midst of the pandemic has become almost unmanageable.
With unfinished assignments piling up, college has never felt so overwhelming. For college students, finals week lingers in the near future and now more than ever, mental wellbeing is at risk.
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