Not having a spring break may be taking a toll on students at Florida A&M and at other universities that decided last fall to cancel the traditional weeklong break in March as a way to prevent new outbreaks of the coronavirus.
Most students look forward to spring break for not only a fun time but also a time to unwind from their treacherous workload during the semester.
“I noticed that the quality of work I’ve been producing has declined. I also began to avoid my responsibilities as a way to cope with the fact that I feel drained,”
Danielle Steele, a graduating senior at FAMU, said. She added that her focus for school has decreased due to exhaustion from a work/school load.
“Instead of studying I might binge-watch a Netflix series because my brain needs a break. I can say the lack of break has made me anxious, and I am doing my schoolwork as a stressor I would like to avoid. I feel like if we had a break to recharge and having fun again, I wouldn’t feel this way,” Steele said.
Some students have decided to take their own spring break week, regardless of the university’s policy.
“It’s a pandemic. Life as we know it has been halted, and we’ve been forced to adjust to these new policies and protocols. The only inkling of normal life we have is spring break and that was just snatched away. So, I know for me, I’m taking my own spring break in 2 weeks because if I don’t, I won’t be able to finish the semester strong. My mental capacity for schools already at 1% on low power mode and I need that spring break charger before I don’t have anything left for the end of the semester and finals week,” FAMU graduate student Marbria Fredrick said.
Other students concur that a break was needed for not only students ‘mental health, but also the professors whom also feel the pressures of the pandemic-dominated last year. Recommendations of mini breaks throughout the semester were suggested among students in replacement of losing spring break.
“A mental break from staring at a computer screen and joining Zoom every day is just the beginning of what college students and professors need. Any kind of break during the semester would have been great. Although I understand the reason behind not having a traditional spring break, we deserve some type of time off to recharge. FAMU could have planned breaks throughout the semester to make up for what we’re missing right now. But now students are drained and are barely making it through the semester. We basically have to wait until summer to be able to relax again after months of despair,” FAMU junior Carmen Powell said.
With students nearly at their wits end, it’s no wonder that the majority of students are looking for their next vacation as soon as possible.