School is back in session! After a restful and rejuvenating summer break, our editors are ready to get back to work to produce stellar editions of The Outlook. Despite the refreshing period that summer can be, sometimes more harm than good is done when it comes to adapting to the more-demanding fall semester.
One editor states, “[Fall semester] is a very abrupt start, going from having about four months off of school to getting right back into it.”
Another editor agrees with the sentiment, adding, “I find it extremely difficult to get back into the swing of things. The first few weeks back are always insanely busy. It feels like so much is put onto students and once and it can be overwhelming, especially after coming off of a long break.”
Not all students feel this way, however, as some welcome the structure and routine with open arms. “I find it incredibly easy to get back into the swing of things after break,” one editor writes. “To me, there is no better feeling than to immerse myself back into my work and responsibilities at the start of the year.” Another editor agrees, stating that after a long break with no stress, it’s “time to get back to the usual grind of being a student.”
One editor summarized, “My motivation to complete academic assignments at the beginning of the semester is similar to that of the end of the semester. At the end of the semester, you know a break is coming so the dread to complete work and attend classes grows as the excitement to have a break also grows. Similarly, at the beginning of the semester, you reminisce about the fun experiences of the summer and wish you were still there rather than in classes.”
When it comes to breaks throughout the school year, all are unrivaled to that of summer break: a four-month long odyssey with no impending semester for weeks to come. Even the month of winter break can’t be fully enjoyed while the doom of spring semester looms on the horizon. Monmouth’s summer break is longer than most Universities’, so it begs the question: is our summer break too long?
One editor was brave enough to share their view. “Unpopular opinion…,” they began, “I think summer break is too long. In all my previous schools, we had a two-month summer break so going from that to four months was a hard transition. August always feels like a drag and I’d rather be on campus at that point.”
A second editor agreed, citing friends from other schools as a reason for the summer break dissent. “I always get back before my friends and am the last one to leave. I would much rather have a three-month summer break and put that extra month toward winter break.”
Another editor experienced a Monmouth summer break for the first time and noted that, although it was daunting in the beginning, they eventually thought that the length of it was “just right.”
While the summer break at Monmouth University is at one end of the spectrum, there is a whole other side of it where colleges press on through the summer and only have a few weeks-long breaks scattered throughout the year. While our editors were able to see the benefits of a schedule of this sort, none were willing to part with the four-month summer break in order to attend such an institution.
“Especially since a majority of schools function with a two-semester setup rather than quarters, it gives more opportunity to hang out with friends from high school whose breaks likely line up,” one editor wrote.
Having ample time to recuperate was also a general consensus, with one editor writing that the summer “allows you to have a true break,” and another writing, “I need my time to relax and recuperate not only from classes, but just the overall stress that comes along with being at college.”
Acknowledging both sides of the situation, yet another editor stated, “I would much rather have a designated break period to be able to see my friends and family more from home and be able to take longer vacations.”
Overall, whether you find summer too long, too short, or just right, everybody here at The Outlook hopes you had a restful few months and are ready to have a successful fall semester!
