Do you have an essay due the day or week you get back from Turkey weekend? A midterm? Anything? If you don’t, you’re one of the lucky few…and probably don’t go to Berkeley. Everyone’s got something or another to do. And if you booked it out of the rain-spattered city before the half-week even started, you may have even more to make up getting lecture notes. Aren’t breaks fun?
Since the beginning of formal education, students have been arguing the counterproductive nature of assigning work over holidays. Aren’t we supposed to relax on our days off? Shouldn’t a school break mean a break from homework and studying as well? Apparently not, given that there’s often more work to take home for the holidays than during a normal class week.
There is an upside to this, though! Contrary to what it may seem, we’re not trying to drag you down with this mini rant. Rather, we’ll try helping you groaning textbooks put a positive spin on things while buried underneath all those textbooks.
First off: If you’re home for the break, you get to complain about Shakespeare and molecules in the comfort of your own bed, with your beloved high school trophies surrounding you. You get to eat home-cooked food during your study breaks and turn on an actual TV for your weekly show instead of flipping open your laptop. There may be work to do, but the environment you’re doing it in sure beats Crossroads!
Second: If you’re not at home, there’s still good stuff to be said. There’s no waking up for that 8 a.m. the next morning, and definitely no listening to that GSI you’ve disliked from the start of the semester. There may be less friends around, but that also means less distractions. You can work peacefully around campus when you need to, and when your brain is ready to explode there’ll be tons of stuff around the bay to do and on campus itself. If you’re dorming, there’s programs put on in the residence halls, and if you’re not there are always people that decided to say no to family dinner this year.
Third: No matter what, you get a breather from your daily college routine! Like we said, there’s no class, discussion, or immediate assignment! Yes, there’s stuff due after the weekend. But until then you can let yourself rest at least a tiny bit. Have some fun, eat good food, and then turn on your brain again. Also, Black Friday sales will be on no matter where you are.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Image source: albertogp123 under Creative Commons
