By Will Poladian, Staff Writer
With the end of the semester approaching quickly, it is time to look back on a change that had an effect on the St. Bonaventure University community.
In a press release released by the late Dr. Dennis DePerro, former president of the university, explaining the new way of going about spring break for the spring semester.
There was to be no spring break but instead five mental health days for the students spread out over the entire semester.
“However, five class-free weekdays have been scheduled throughout the semester: Feb. 18, March 10, April 2 (Good Friday), April 13 and April 28,” stated DePerro.
One student feels that the days off were needed.
“Yes, mental health days are useful because a lot of college students get stressed out over their workload very easily,” said Sophia Nix, a freshman special education major. “Mental health days are a way for students to relax and not have to think about all that they need to work on.”
Another said they feel that it was useful.
“ I believe the mental health days are useful,” said Raeanne Armbruster, a freshman finance major. “The mental health days the university provided allowed myself and other students to relax and focus on ourselves.”
However, one student said they believe that the days off were unnecessary.
“I feel as though they were unnecessary, we already had almost two whole months before we got here for our second semester,” said Ryan Connolly, a freshman philosophy major. “We already have weekends and time after class for mental health.”
There is some belief that the university should have scheduled the days better.
“I would have the mental health days on either a Friday or Monday so students could get the opportunity to go home and see their families that they may not have seen in a while,” said Nix. “A lot of students get homesick so this would be refreshing to some people.”
Connolly said he believes that the students could have prepared themselves better.
“I would simply tell the students to carefully plan out time to take their mental health into account,” said Connolly. “Take this as an opportunity to teach students about proper scheduling.”
With the days off, students have come up with different ways to spend them.
“I have used these days to relax and catch up on sleep but also to enjoy time with friends,” said Nix.
One student used the days to reorganize herself.
“The mental health days allowed me to reorganize myself, get ahead of my assignments, and hang out with friends,” said Armbruster.
Connolly said he used them to get ahead in his classes.
“I have used these days to get ahead on assignments and make sure I know what I am doing in my classes,” said Connolly. “I already use the weekends to rest and get my stamina back.”
Some students believe that the university made the right decision.
“Since we couldn’t have normal breaks it was nice to have days off during the semester,” said Armbruster.
Nix agrees with the decision of the university.
“I do believe the university made the right decision especially because we did not have a spring break,” said Nix.
Connolly said he is appreciative of the time given by the university.
“I say that I appreciate them even giving us days off at all, a whole spring break in my opinion is unnecessary,” said Connolly. “We are here to work and build futures for ourselves, and we should be open to work as much as possible.”
poladiwj20@bonaventure.edu
