�Have a good break,� professors say to their students as they filter out of class on the Friday before spring break. Some students smile – they have big plans, including beach vacations, snowboarding trips, spring training out of state for a sport, the Habitat for Humanity trip, or the Education Club’s trip to Kentucky. And some are just happy to be visiting home again after a six-week absence.
No matter what students plan for the break, there usually is one downside to the fun activities planned: homework.
By Valerie Masciarelli,
Editor-in-Chief
�Have a good break,� professors say to their students as they filter out of class on the Friday before spring break. Some students smile – they have big plans, including beach vacations, snowboarding trips, spring training out of state for a sport, the Habitat for Humanity trip, or the Education Club’s trip to Kentucky. And some are just happy to be visiting home again after a six-week absence.
No matter what students plan for the break, there usually is one downside to the fun activities planned: homework.
As responsible college students, it would be childish to gripe about homework over a break. After all, a lot of professors do not assign break work outright, but instead encourage students to take advantage of the free time.
�I do not purposely assign students homework over the spring break. However, it would be wise to use that time to work ahead or to catch up on past assignments,� said Sister Alicia Costa, assistant professor of education.
However, one cannot pretend that the thought of that essay due Monday after break or the mid-term test on Tuesday is not lingering on the brain while sitting in the movie theater catching up with high school friends. There has to be a balance, but finding it can be tricky.
Siena Frank, a sophomore, had two tests awaiting her the week following break, plus three upcoming research papers. She found a strategy to keep her on track, while still allowing for some free time.
�I made myself a list of what needs to be done each day so that I am not loaded on my last day home, and still have time each day for fun,� Frank said.
�As long as I stick to my list, I should have plenty of time for everything and much less stress when I get back to school,� added Frank.
�I do school work during the day when my friends are working because I don’tgo in until four, and if we�re having a late night, I do my homework after dinner and just go out late,� said Erin Waite, a junior.
Waite also has a strategy that not only gets her work done, but also feeds her caffeine cravings.
�Panera Bread has become my haven. I take my MP3 player and do all my notes and coffee chugging quite happily there. I highly recommend it,� said Waite.
Junior Bianca Cintron did not have any big plans over the break, but she did end up house-sitting and watching over her grandmother for her parents while they traveled to Florida. Her strategy is similar to Frank�s, though she �chunks� her working and leisure time.
�Basically, I look at my calendar ahead of time and say to myself, �Okay, you have nine days of vacation and homework that can be split up into three to five different chunks. What days am I going to work?� I write it down and then, when the day comes, I make myself do it,� said Cintron.
�Mostly it’s just a matter of not allowing yourself any excuses,� Cintron said.
One last thing that might be helpful for students to keep in mind is that a break is just as the name implies – a break from class! Expect to get a few things tackled, but bringing home an entire box of books is more likely to deter even those few things from getting done, since it adds to the pressure.
Instead, have reasonable expectations of what can be accomplished, keeping in mind that at home there are people who are longing for visits, doctor appointments that could not take place while classes are in session, and other important tasks that have been put off due to the busy rush of classes. If only half of the intended load is completed, feel very lucky.
For those who question the timeliness of this editorial, yes, it is after spring break, but it is never too late to find new ways to ward off unnecessary stress.
With that said, bring on Easter break (and this year we even have Monday, too)!
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