Students Complain about Belated Spring Break
Words and photograph by Mia Milosevic
Spring break began on Friday, April 19 and ends on Monday,April 29– which should be good news. However, instead of the usualexcitement surrounding time off school, students are wondering why thisweek-long holiday falls so late in the semester and close to the end of theschool year.
“Why do I want a break only 2 weeks before the semester isover?” wonders disgruntled international relations student Paul Root. “I reallyneeded it earlier, maybe around mid-terms, not arbitrarily placed at such anawkward time in the semester.”
Other students expressed disappointment over missing out onspring break festivities their friends could enjoy, which usually take placeearlier. “I was trying to coordinate a spring break trip with my friends who goto other schools,” complains Sabrina Cohen, a Grove school engineer. “Theirbreaks were close enough to where they could all go, and I’m the only onemissing out. Instead of a fun trip to Florida, I get to spend break at home.”
The late break coincides with the New York City public schoolrecess. But thisschedule caters to kids aged pre-K through high school, taking intoconsideration religious holidays -- in this case Passover, this year April19-27, and Easter, April 21. In previous years, spring break took place April10 - 18 and April 01 – 08 in 2017 and 2018 respectively, giving CUNY students alittle more time in class after the break and before finals.
It is worth noting that while CUNY schools end the semesteronly about two weeks after the end of spring break, K-12 schools will be insession for an additional six weeks. While this calendar seems perfect forschool aged children, it is less than ideal for college students.“I get thatwe’re a public school, but how hard would it be to make an academic calendarfor us college students?” asks Root. “It doesn’t make sense that we follow theK12 calendar when no other college does that.”
Root seems to be speaking many when he says: “It’s absolutelyridiculous and pointless. They may as well have just ended the semester a weekearly.”
