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Fall Break extension not the solution to student stress

James Holman, holmanjl@muohio.edu

Although I am in favor of a longer fall break (and longer breaks in general), the overall tone of the articles on extending fall break in The Miami Student bothers me. College is a time for increasing levels of responsibility, and in turn independence. Reasoning for an extension include increased stress levels, a growing out-of-state population, better retention rates, and that "most" students have Friday classes off anyway. All of these seem to indicate Miami University students desperately need an extra day off. If that's the case, then maybe we as a student body should read Emerson's Self-Reliance. As a student who lives five hours away and is involved in a multitude of activities, an extra day off is not a solution to stress. Students need to focus on activities that relieve stress and become part of their daily routine. In today's world, there are also ways to stay in touch with family. Out-of-state students knew the sacrifice they made when they chose to attend Miami. As for retention rates, the problem is not that students don't get home enough, it's that they don't like it here. It's obvious that the student body as a whole would overwhelmingly want extended fall and Thanksgiving breaks. I know I would. Let's take a look in the mirror and not blame Miami's academic calendar for too much stress or a disconnect with our family. The solution to these problems comes down to the choices we make. Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.