Springin’ for a Change

Students and Staff Alike Want a New Date for Spring Break

BY SUMMER MILLS Managing Editor

Snow sprinkles across campus, coating the ground with a light dusting of soft flakes. Ice storms cancel class, and promises of six more weeks of winter come through. As students walk across campus, leaving boot tracks in their wake, a step in the grass is assurance that soon dandelions will bloom. The shocking cold that stings noses is only a placeholder for the crisp, fresh air coming shortly. The winter is long, but spring is coming soon and is in its prime from March to May. For college students, this suggests there should be a long-awaited break from school.

Summer and winter breaks are typically longer, with spring and fall break lasting about a week. This time allows students to rest during stressful times. This relaxation, in turn, helps with turning out work, listening in class, and being a more productive student. Getting into a daily routine can often trap students in a rut because there is no variation. However, the key to learning and consistency is taking time for oneself; this helps students have solace and do enjoyable things, which is difficult since many have packed days.

With the rise of COVID-19 in 2020, the University of the Cumberlands chose to switch semesters to a bi-term format. The pandemic affected the semesters, causing them to split into two eight-week terms rather than the entire sixteen weeks that a class would generally run. According to the University of the Cumberlands academic calendar on their website, fall break occurs in October at the end of the first bi-term and directly before the second one. This break between the terms gives students time before their courses switch to unwind and not worry about their classes or any upcoming homework.

In the spring semester, however, spring break does not fall in between the bi-terms. This distinction strikes many as odd. Izabella Buck, a studemt at the University of the Cumberlands, says, “It’s kind of weird to have spring break in between the second bi-term instead of between the two terms.” On every academic calendar that the University of the Cumberlands has posted, spring break falls about two weeks into the second bi-term. The way this is scheduled means that students transfer directly from one set of classes to another. After that, the break occurs right at the point when students get into the groove of learning in their new classes (about two weeks in). When students return from their week off, they still have six weeks left in their courses. Students going on break in the middle of their term can disrupt the flow of the learning process. The timing of spring break in the current academic calendar does not allow for a proper break because students still have a variety of homework and projects to complete.

Spring break at the University of the Cumberlands should be between the bi-terms moving forward. Dr. Michael Dickman, Communication Arts department chair/professor, states, “I would like it better if we had a week off in between the sessions.” Bi-term classes end near the first day of March, which is also the start of spring. This period would be perfect for a vacation. Students given a chance to have a break during this time would be more likely to take the opportunity. For many, this time away would lead to rejuvenation because they can enjoy themselves without worrying about school, which will help them better adjust to class changes. A week of vacation after the end of the first bi-term would give students time to adapt, and it would be perfect timing for a transition into the new awaiting courses. This alteration would bode well with everyone.