The Importance of Spring Break

Spring break is a time given by most colleges in the United States. Schools give a week off to students for them to choose what they want to do. Many people think that all college students do during this time is party on the beaches of Florida and drink alcohol. While some students do take part in this, this weeklong break from school can help students greatly. Spring break is beneficial to college students because it will decrease stress levels, improve sleep habits, take a vacation, and allow for homesick students to go home.

An important factor in why schools give students spring break is to improve their mental health and decrease stress. Some students can get very stressed over all the schoolwork they have to complete in a short amount of time especially if the have a big course load. In a survey done by the American College Health Association, over 43,000 students across 41 Canadian colleges were surveyed. “Students reported that the top four factors negatively influencing their academic performance were stress (42.

Get quality help now

WriterBelle

Verified writer

Proficient in: Education

4.7 (657)

“ Really polite, and a great writer! Task done as described and better, responded to all my questions promptly too! ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

2%), anxiety (32.5%), sleep difficulties (28.4%), and depression (20.9%)(Poole). Many students will take this week to catch up on all the homework they need to do which can improve their stress levels. Others will choose to not do anything school related just so that they don’t have to worry about it at all. Many adults have responsibilities that they have to do and for students it is completing homework and going to class. Students love having a week off from just to avoid their responsibilities.

Students also use this time to do things that they don’t have time for during the rest of the school year. Numerous students will want to work as much as they can this week to earn extra money so they don’t have to work as much the rest of the time they are in school. Having this extra money will help reduce the stress of not having enough money.

Spring break is a time that many students plan to take an elaborate vacation. They know that warm spring weather is right around the corner and want to travel someplace that will replicate the warm weather that is just about to take place. During the month of March, when most college spring break occur, tourism skyrockets in many popular spring break destinations. In Panama City, the spring break crowd brings in millions of dollars to the local economy and employs thousands of locals (Henderson). Not only will the students benefit from this time off from school, but tourism will too.

Some students can get so engrossed in school and work that they forget that life is more than just those things. With having this week off, students are able to realize that life is more than just school and work. They can take this time to think about their future and what they want to do in life. They can focus on what is important to them, such as being with family and friends.

Many students can’t spend time with their family and friends during the time they are in school because they are too busy or far away to visit. Numerous students who live far away from home often take this time to do so. A weekend is too short to make a trip to visit and is often occupied with homework or work. Students that live far away from home often experience homesickness and because of this their grades can suffer (Pisco). Having this week to visit their family will help reduce their homesickness which will aid in improving their grades.

Another element that students can struggle with when in school is the amount of sleep they are getting. Sleep disorders and deficits are a national U.S. health concern, and college students report more sleep difficulties than the general population(Oswalt). Many students can have a hard time getting enough sleep because they have so many things on their plate. According to research done by the University of Georgia, “college students who can fit seven to eight of hours of sleep in a night will have improved grades and better memory”(Sleep). Many students are not getting the seven to eight hours of sleep that they need. Having a week to recover their sleep schedule is beneficial for getting back on track and doing the best in school they can.

In conclusion, spring break is a time that many students benefit from. If students did not have a break from school to relax, their grades would suffer. By boosting their health from having a spring break, they will get the grades they deserve so that they can finish out the semester strong. Taking the time to improve their health by decreasing stress levels, catching up on sleep, taking a vacation, and visiting family is why spring break is essential for students to have.