Laying out on the beach in Florida, enjoying the sun, relaxing with a book and not worrying about anything. This is how I, along with many other students, spent our spring break. And if your week was anything like mine, this relaxation was short-lived. I was flooded with assignments, papers and exams all due the week right after our break. It didn’t take very long for me to start regretting my trip, I shouldn’t have to feel like this. Professors must be more respectful of our breaks and avoid assigning major exams and papers immediately after break.
Most teachers demand respect and professionalism from their students. While this is a valid request, it should go both ways. Spring break is a time for both professors and students to take a break. Professors aren’t expected to respond to emails or attend meetings just as students shouldn’t be expected to work on assignments. During the spring semester, this is the only break students get and most of us had to spend it worrying about these due dates and assignments. When professors choose to disregard our breaks, it signifies their lack of respect towards their students.
“I came back from my spring break vacation and I was swamped with an exam and a group project that week,” said Anjana Pranavi, a second-year studying biomedical engineering. “There was a voice in the back of my head not letting me enjoy my much needed break because I knew I would be super stressed after we came back.”
The importance of taking breaks from school is emphasized by many researchers and professionals. Countries like Spain offer their students multiple vacations and holidays as well as two-hour-long lunches to improve productivity and morale. According to an article published in Psychology Today by Susan Krauss Whitbourne, an academic who specializes in developmental science, chronic stress can take a significant physical toll on the body by affecting our immunity, sleep cycles and even digestion, leading to both mental and physical problems. However, vacations break this inevitable stress cycle by not only allowing us to relax but also giving us time to gain some perspective on our tasks and problems, helping us tackle them better.
Taking appropriate time off is essential to the mental and physical wellbeing of students. American students are given very few extended breaks, and it is detrimental to students when the ones we are provided with are spent studying for exams.
There are many ways the University can address these concerns. I believe students would benefit from additional policies added to the University’s test and exam regulations. In addition to the policy preventing professors from scheduling exams during the last week of class, they should also be prohibited from scheduling them immediately when students get back. A minimum of three days should be given before scheduling an exam after a break.
In addition to a better testing policy, I also believe students should have more autonomy over when they’re able to take their exams. Students should also be able to schedule exams at their own convenience. Assuming every student is able to take a major exam at the same time isn’t practical, considering how many of us may have other conflicting exams during a shorter time frame preventing us from adequately preparing for and taking exams.
Professors should be required to have multiple exam sessions the week after spring break, or should actively partner with the on-campus testing centers so students can schedule them at their own convenience. This could also drastically increase test scores and testing morale.
Students work throughout the entire semester looking forward to their minimal breaks. To undermine our time off by assigning major exams right after our break takes away the one thing many of us look forward to. Respecting time off is the simplest form of professionalism that should be non-negotiable. I implore NC State to reassess its exam guidelines and encourage its professors to value their students’ well-deserved time off.
