Commentary Final Draft

Fall Semester: a stress nightmare. Beginning in late August and ending in middle December, fall semester at college consists of a lot more than classes and tailgates. Stress, health deterioration, and restless minds are just some of the symptoms plaguing great portions of the student body in large quantities during this time. The intensity and uniformity of these symptoms across the student body seems to be unequally distributed towards fall semester, with the spring term being a lot more “laid back”, as put by some students of the UCF community. In order for anything to be done to fix this, we must first examine the problems, consequences, and possible solutions of this fall semester nightmare.

The root of the issue lies in the length and intensity of the fall semester. Beginning in late August and ending in early December, fall semester proves to be consistently intense through the five months that compose it. With the only pause resembling a break from school being Thanksgiving, students may feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure classes exert on them. Adding on to this dilemma is the fact that Thanksgiving is completely inefficient in delivering rest and recovery to students, as it is so close to finals that most use it as a time to crack down on books and notes in preparation for exams. Besides thanksgiving, fall semester plays host to only two more holidays, as stated on the UCF website. A total of four days off is all fall semester offers students in terms of rest. Spring semester offers a total of six days off, with five of these composing the long-awaited spring break that typically occurs in March or April of every year. This longer break and greater quantities of days off proves to be extremely effective in delivering peace of mind to UCF students. One UCF student put it this way: “Everything is real hazy and uncertain during fall semester. The vibe of spring semester just allows me to do better and feel better all around”.

The consequences of this problem affect students in every aspect of life. The first and most important being health. Sleep deprivation, stress, anxiety, and exhaustion all are symptoms of a typical fall semester for a typical college student. These can take their toll when students start becoming sick and physically exhausted. Long nights at the library can take their toll as students start falling considerably behind on their sleep. The next issue deals with the family and social aspect of students’ lives. College, besides being a time for learning, is also a time for networking. When the learning aspect becomes so intense that it leaves little room for the networking aspect, students are robbed of a vital part of their college experience. UCF Sophomore Andres Ruiz put it this way: “I would really like to join a club or an intramural sport or something, but I really don’t have the time to do it.” Balance is said to be a catalyst to harmony, and a mind at harmony works a lot better than a mind in chaos. Fall semester should be changed in a way that allows students to use all their potential and work to the best of their abilities. Another problem with the fall semester is that it really gives no time for students to plan a trip back home, other than just a weekend visit. With thanksgiving being so late in the semester that most students have already added homesickness to their list of grievances, this holiday break proves inefficient in helping students that way as well. UCF is the largest school in the state, also ranking in the top five largest in the nation. Administration must take this into consideration and provide UCF students with an earlier opportunity to visit their homes.

The best solution to this problem lies in instituting a fall break. In order for this to be done, students would have to enter school a little earlier, so that halfway through the semester they can have some time off. A week in October would benefit every aspect of the university. Academic achievement would take a turn for the better, health problems would decrease, and student life would be a lot more pleasant. UCF Sophomore Adam Ilter stated “summer is too long. We should start school a week earlier and then be able to have a week off halfway through the term.” Most UCF students agree that something must be done, and most are willing to make this adjustment to the fall schedule so that they may better their college experience.

With fall semester clearly causing some unwanted consequences, something must be done. Students are receiving unnecessary damage in many aspects of their respective lives due to these consequences. A vacation in October would is in my opinion the best solution to this imposing problem. This would allow for all around growth and betterment of the University. I only hope administration will act on behalf of the students and institute such a policy.

Thesis Commentary

Fall Semester: a stress nightmare. Beginning in late August and ending in middle December, fall semester at college brings a lot more than a good time and a lot of tailgates. Stress, health deterioration, and restless minds are just some of the symptoms plaguing great portions of the student body at all times. The intensity and uniformity of these symptoms across the student body seems to be unequally distributed towards fall semester, with the spring term being a lot more “laid back”. In order for anything to be done about this, we must first examine the problems, consequences of these problems, and possible solutions.

Questions Revised

1- Do you feel consistently tired or stressed during portions of the fall semester? Yes

2- Do you feel that you lack the adequate rest to perform at your best during fall semester? Yes

3- How would you feel about beginning the fall semester a week earlier in the summer so that you could have a week off during the semester? Good idea.

4- Do you feel that fall semester is a lot more intense than spring? Yes.

5- What would you have administration do about this matter? Increase the semester by a week so that we may have a week off.

6- How do you know what you know? Experience as a student.

7- Who are you to the subject? A participant.

8- How is this event connected to other events? It’s connected to many aspects of life.

9- What if things were different? Would achieve better grades and health.

10- Why is this important? People’s grades, health, and peace of mind.

Commentary Brainstorm, Explanations, and Questions

1) 1- Propaganda on UCF campus.

2) 2-Shortness in quantity of UCF shuttle routes.

3) 3-Lack of holidays in Fall semesters.

Getting through the student union is a task in itself. “Do you have five minutes to help homeless people?” This was the question I was asked today. I have been asked questions like this on most of the occasions on which I have passed through the union. Whether it is a cause, flyers for a bar, or propaganda for anything else, there is always someone promoting something outside the union. With the union being central to campus, a lot of us pass it daily to get to our different classes. Many times in a rush, we wish we wouldn’t have to deal with these promoters and ralliers.

Arden Villas: A UCF student-based community, yet no shuttle. UCF’s lack of shuttle routes and shuttle consistency makes getting to class for the more environmentally friendly, or even those who just want to save some cash on gas and a parking decal, a hassle. An addition of routes that are street and not neighborhood based would go a long ways to allowing some students to simply walk to the nearest bus route.

Fall semester: my worst nightmare. With thanksgiving being the closest we have to a spring break in the fall, many students begin to feel the fatigue of school way before finals time. If UCF implemented maybe two or three more holidays, students could rest adequately and become more productive. As a matter of fact, two or three days geared towards something like take your dad to school day or other activities would also allow for a light hearted good time, and thus rest.

Five Questions:

1- 1- Why is there a need for a fall brrak?

2- 2- How would a fall break affect student learning?

3- 3- What consequences does a lack of a fall break cause?

4- 4- How could a fall break improve student life?

5- 5- What should UCF do about a fall break?