Carillon on the Move: early fall break
Students have opinions on whether it is a help or hindrance to move reading week
Over the last several fall semesters, the Fall Break took place in November. This year it has been moved forward to October.
For example, according to the academic schedule, in 2022 the break started on November 7 and went until November 12. This year, our Fall Break is now taking place starting October 9 and ending October 15. Some students have opinions about this change, and we want to share some of those opinions.
The Carillon went on the move to try and figure out what some student opinions were. On Tuesday last week right around lunch hour, I headed down to the Riddell Centre and the Education building to go and talk to some students. I chatted with three different people, all from different years of studies, and all from different faculties. Quite honestly, they also all had different opinions on the Fall Break and when it should take place.
Jazlyn Gill, a third-year student studying for a Bachelor of Kinesiology and a Major in Human Kinetics stated: “I think it is good and beneficial as you get to spend more time with your family. You get a nicer break before the midterm. I don’t know about every course, but at least in Kinesiology, we have a lot of notes and lots of readings that tend to pile up. Especially when you are working part- or full-time, and you have other commitments like sports and extracurriculars. I think that having the break so close to the start of the semester is nice. This way you can catch up on your readings if you tend to fall behind in the semester. […] It is beneficial for students like me who fall behind, and this way before a midterm I can read, catch up, and make notes. This way their midterm is in October, and we are all set for our busy lives.”
Justine Wolf is in their fifth-year of study in Anthropology and History. They had a similar opinion to Gill, stating: “I honestly like the change. I do not mind starting a little bit earlier, […] It is the perfect time as you start to feel overwhelmed, and it starts to give you a bit of a break to get organized and relax then set you up for the final stretch of the semester. I don’t mind it.” Good to hear that some students are looking forward to having the Fall Break right around the corner.
However, that is not the case for everyone. The last person I talked to was Emily Geddes, a second-year student studying Education. “I think it is quite early to have a break and I think we are not quite ready to have midterms and all that stuff. Now they are placing the midterms before the new break and the November break would have been a lot better. […] It is kind of hard as some classes may be having two midterms now, as it is too much information for the final. Because the midterm is so early.” Are some classes adding on a second midterm because it is so early in the term, or are they adding it on just because that is how the class is set up? That may be a question for a follow-up Carillon on the Move article.
There are some student opinions on the Fall Break changing from November to October. What are your thoughts? This may be your first chance to reflect and think about what you prefer, and it may put the break into a different perspective.
