Eight days. All that is separating us from the glorious reprieve that is Fall Break is a week like the one immortalized in song by the Beatles. Even so, the phrase "so close, yet so far" comes to mind, and never have those words seemed so true. or so painful.
It's because four-day weekends are a special type of holiday. Not only are they an all-too-rare breed, but they're also a break that never tires, that never becomes blasé. The hype surrounding spring break can lead to disappointment, winter break often involves family time that can cause stress, and summer break is secretly too long. and can result in the unfortunate realization that the internship you took to guarantee future success in the real world has only shown you that you'd rather stay in college, forever.
All of this is to say that in terms of recuperative and refreshing powers, next weekend is a power nap, chocolate chip cookie, "sick day," House marathon and pleasant jog rolled into one. Yes, that good.
Well, in theory at least. I think this particular four-day weekend is deceptive. It may be called Fall Break, but in my experience the holiday does not truly extend to undergrads. Every year I have a big exam or a bigger paper due right after the break, and friends with the same plight. Those close enough to venture home end up reliving high school by studying at their desks or at the public library, whereas the rest of us stay at Penn and continue our Van Pelt routine: Weigle in the morning, Rosengarten at night, sleep and repeat.
None of this would bother me that much if it weren't for the fact that I've never had a professor grade an assignment over the long weekend. So not fair.
But maybe the misunderstanding is my own; maybe Fall Break just means a break from attending class, not from the work class involves. And as much as we'd prefer the latter (yes please!), let's be honest: we'll take the former. Because I'll be even more honest: work or no, I suspect my four-day weekend will still involve power naps, cookies and at least one marathon. jogging not included.
Here's to you,
Kerry
