As most students are making their departures from campus on the day of this issue’s release, I’ve been thinking to myself: how great is it that we get to go home for this? As someone who has to fly home, I’m not going to lie. It can be a bit of a hassle. But, on the other end of things, a short break preceding finals season is precisely what many students need, whether or not they are going home.
Something else that’s important to remember is that for us out-of-state students, some times of year can feel a little melancholy. I have friends who didn’t even go home for Thanksgiving because the short break does not allow enough travel time. However, for many of us, holidays such as Easter are very important for socialization. Is Easter on the same tier as Christmas? No, but it is a time when families and neighbors come together. Even for students who are not Christian, this period of the spring can be especially difficult to spend away from family. Aside from Easter, holidays such as Passover, Eid, Holi and Orthodox Easter (which comes a week later) fall around a similar time, and it can be pretty hard to spend time away from family. By Villanova offering this break, even though it is targeted toward the Easter holiday, students of other faiths are able to take time, even if it doesn’t fall exactly on the right date, to celebrate their respective holidays.
For some students, such as Wisconsin resident Josey Wiggins, Easter Break is the first time that they’ll be seeing their family since Christmas time.
“I’m so happy that we have time off for Easter, especially since I wasn’t able to see my family for Spring Break,” Wiggins said. “It’s nice to be able to see them for the holiday.”
Regardless of which spring holiday you celebrate, it is safe to say that they all revolve around the ideals of peace, happiness and new beginnings. In the next week, it is important that we all reflect on what peace and happiness means to each of us, especially as we close in on the most hectic time of the year. Have you made new friends? Have you grown as a person? Even for people who aren’t religious at all, spring is a time of rebirth and a chance to regroup. By having a few days off of classes, it gives many of us a chance to spend time taking care of ourselves and doing the things that we enjoy, even aside from the holidays that may be happening. For me, this means spending more time outside, getting everything in order for move-out and spending time with my family.
Last, aside from how I feel about the events that have happened on campus recently, I think that it’s safe to say that we all need to take a break and have some time to mentally regroup. The last few weeks have been extremely hectic for Villanova students, in terms of what’s been happening in the news, with our sports and within the student body. Although these recent events are far from being over, I think that it’s often very beneficial to walk away for a bit and come back with a clear head. This could be the older sister in me talking, or maybe just the psychology major. Either way, Villanova students need a break, and Easter recess could not have come at a more perfect time.
So, whether people are celebrating with family, taking time for themselves, or doing some spring cleaning over the next five days, have some moments of peace. We are less than three weeks away from finals, so let’s all take this break to come back refreshed and ready to dial in.
