You’re exhausted. A week at the beach passes faster than lightning and you took life by the reins just to come back to three quizzes, four homework assignments and five days of classes.
For many students, they will not get the opportunity to go on a trip and work instead. Being rejuvenated from the past week may not last as a strong momentum until finals.
This is the reality for many students at KSU who feel burnt out at this point in the semester. By having most of the semester without a break and then having less than a third left, there is a strain on students who are facing the hardest weeks of the semester.
For the fall 2023 semester, students had 13 consecutive weeks of class before Thanksgiving break, whereafter they returned to two more weeks and then finals. For the spring 2024 semester, students worked nine consecutive weeks before Spring Break. This is why KSU should institute a five-day weekend at some point between the fifth and seventh weeks of the semester; especially in the fall.
The Cobb County School’s calendar has a week-long break every six weeks, with digital learning days and student holidays sprinkled throughout their semesters. Given that KSU is within the borders of Cobb County, it could make sense to adopt some of its attendance policies.
The stark difference in the time off could also present mental health challenges for freshmen coming into college. The transition from having several weeks off each semester compared to a singular week off for students could elevate stress levels.
It is no secret that many college students have mental health concerns. The American Institute of Stress provided statistics from studies that focused on college students’ mental health. From their data, 45% of students reported feeling stressed, 49% reported feeling depressed, 31% had family issues and 28% reported academic performance as a cause of counseling.
In addition, many college students struggle to balance academic stress with having other obligations, like working jobs or participating in university organizations. TheNational Center for Education Statistics reported that in 2020, 40% of full-time undergraduate students were employed compared to 74% of part-time undergraduates. Though this number is lower compared to 2015, it states that 40% of part-time students worked 35 or more hours a week and 26% of part-time students worked 20-34 hours a week.
These hours combined with most attendance policies can lead to a very stressed-out college student. Despite this problem, many students cannot cut back because of the cost of living and education.
According to the KSU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, 32,912 students enrolled in 2022 received financial aid. The report also states that federal direct loans only cover about 60% of a student’s tuition, fees and books. While financial aid can help with financial stressors, students still have many more concerns during the year.
Stress is inevitable for college students, but adding an extra break in the first half of the semester could help alleviate stress from students piled high with work, classes and other obligations.
