Washington University students are almost four weeks into their second semester, and the first two wellness days are on the horizon. After cancelling spring break late November, there was an outcry from the community revolving the three wellness days the school allotted its students, and rightfully so.
The spring semester is a total of 14 weeks. Despite being only a week longer than fall semester, it varies significantly in a few ways. First, spring semester begins in Missouri’s coldest weather. This past week, students have experienced weather in the negatives, with in-person classes cancelled or moved online, and students left isolated and unable to visit one another’s dorms due to COVID-19. The cold weather becomes a catalyst for mental and physical detriment. Loneliness and darkness feed into anxiety and depression, and the inability to exercise paired with the inaccessibility to food throughout the day can shift students away from their daily routine.
Having spoken to multiple students on and off campus, this spring semester has also proven more difficult than semesters prior. Students have found themselves getting less out of their classes, and teaching themselves more of the curriculum. For me personally, I’ve found myself in zoom classes with over 600 students, making it virtually impossible to get individualized help, even with office hours.
Throughout the spring semester, WashU has also seen a significant rise in COVID-19 cases. This puts immense pressure on students to take extra precautions to stay safe, limiting their ability to socialize on the weekends and in their free time. The isolation makes it difficult to foster a collaborative and welcoming environment on campus, and impairs students’ ability to succeed.
WashU had the opportunity to listen to the community last semester after student’s voiced their concerns over the lack of breaks during the semester, but instead took away spring break and replaced it with three wellness days spread out over the course of the three and a half month semester. Although it seems unlikely the school will make changes to the schedule, take it upon yourself to take advantage of the time off, and use it to improve upon your mental, physical, and emotional health.