Spring Break-Sterling Paulson

Many if not all students at BYU are aware that the University does not afford us a spring break during the school year. Many students appear to be critical of this, and many students also seem to be arguing for the University to add a spring break. However, they fail to see the greater benefits that arise from our lack of a spring break. One can see from case studies and current events that spring break activities are often costly in economic terms, and also increase the risk of injury, death, robbery or other adverse events in certain regions. Others still will state that students need a break from the rigors of school, and that a spring break would let them relax and regroup for the second half of the Winter semester.  However, I have found that taking a spring break often forces me out of a good rhythm and schedule and causes me to take several days upon return from school to get reacquainted with an academic atmosphere.  Further, I would argue that taking more breaks during the school year is unrealistic in comparison to the real world, where many people spent hours of their day in an academic/professional environment and are intellectually challenged.  Most of these jobs only give 2-4 weeks out of the year off for vacation, but the student attending Fall and Winter semesters has many more weeks than this off. The absence of a spring break is also beneficial to BYU students specifically because it allows for us to get out of school much earlier than many other comparable universities, thus giving us a longer summer break--a break that is used by many to gain undergraduate research or work experience or work to finance schooling. It is especially beneficial because it has created room for both a Spring and Summer term, which together can allow students to get an additional 18 credits in.  This is especially beneficial at BYU where many students have served LDS missions and/or service projects and are older in age than peers at other schools.  With this in mind, I believe that the absence of a Spring break is a positive thing at BYU. It keeps students out of dangerous situations, better prepares them for the professional world, and allows them to make up for time lost to service and missions.