Now that spring break has ended, students should feel rejuvenated and ready to knock out the other half of the semester. But for most of us, that didn’t happen.  Professors have overloaded us with work.

A break is a time where we can go out with friends and have a drink or two. We owe it to ourselves to go somewhere and relax, which doesn’t involve any work.  

There’s no reason why professors should feel the need to assign us homework over break. After all, we just finished midterms.

“During three months (during the semester), you’re stressed out and miserable,” said Collin Sheely, freshmen recreation, park and tourism administration major. “This idea of having one break for the entire year and then you’re good, that’s not true. We need this break to further our development and not just doing homework.”

As a RPTA major, he feels having fun is valued. Sheely also had to finish a two to three page media analysis essay.

Homework during break is especially hard for students who need to pick up hours at their part-time job.

“I am very frustrated,” said Devan Adair, senior child development major. “There is no break if you have class projects with a group to do.”

Adair said she stayed in Sacramento. She worked 40 hours this week during break at her job. Adair was also assigned a group project.

Group projects are more difficult over break. It’s hard to coordinate with each others’ availability within one week.

Going home for the break is a wasted effort when you’re forced to type an eight-page research paper. It’s hard to visit when you can’t help but glue yourself to a computer.

“I have one professor giving us a quiz online, which is tough because it’s due back the day before the end of spring break,” said Stephanie Fowler, junior child development major. “It’s no fair for those who have no internet if they are vacationing. I have another homework in my other class. That’s something I plan to do on the plane.”

I am aware that professors have the right to assign homework over break and students are paying for the education. Homework is an extension of the education students are working for. It’s part of the package.

“I can understand that there are budget cuts during the semester, especially when it’s short,” Adair says. “So they’re trying to compensate on their part for the work we have to get done.”

If our professors are going to assign us work, the least they can do is keep it to a minimum.  

The instructors also owe it to themselves to take a break. In comparison to most college students, they work extra harder.

“If there’s a break we should truly feel we are taking a break from it all,” Fowler says. “Professors who give us assignments should understand that. They should take a break too.”

The first two months of the semester were tough. 

Students work hard to reach graduation. We experience braving amounts of stress and restless nights to get there. An actual break wouldn’t hurt and I’m referring a time to ourselves without having to worry about a paper that’s due the middle of spring break.

If that’s not understood, let me rephrase that: screw homework during break. Give me the freedom and relaxation that I deserve.

Chris Barbosa can be reached at [email protected]