The Article below was published in Vol. 135, Issue 3 of the Lake Forest College Stentor on November 8, 2019
By Ellerese Topacio ’20
Associate Editor
As we all know, Lake Forest College’s Fall Break that spanned from October 21 to October 22 is officially over. It was only for two days? Yes, it was very, very, very brief.
After enduring eight weeks of classes, that is eight weeks of grueling experimental labs, diabolical weekly essays on dense readings, and begrudging group projects, we can finally catch our breath . . . but again, for only two days? Alejandro Rodrìguez ’20, who’s majoring in biochemistry and molecular biology with a minor in politics, can succinctly summarize Fall Break in four letters: “fast.” And fast it was. The enjoyment of Fall Break came and ended as quickly as the autumnal season itself.
Naturally, we can conclude that recuperation after midterms requires a longer period of time than two days. For some fellow students in the science department, they had to endure a near five hour midterm only to return to class five days later and repeat the second half cycle. It is easy to see why many students feel burnt out at the semester’s midpoint. There is simply not enough time to hit the reset button.
For the students who reside out-of-state, most find it futile to return home due to the briefness of Fall Break. For most, it is a huge expenditure to purchase a round trip plane ticket for such a brief stay. As for Cece Chen ’20, a business major and entrepreneurship and Asian studies minor, she expressed her adventurous spirit by booking a ticket to New Orleans. The main objective of her trip was to visit a friend she met while abroad in Korea. As part of her New Orleans itinerary, Chen reserved ample time to tour the French Quarter, a historically vibrant neighborhood in New Orleans. Secondly, she stopped at the home of the Fighting Tigers, Louisiana State University. If Fall Break were extended a week longer, Chen would’ve spent more time exploring the French Quarter and satiating her hunger for New Orleans Cajun cuisine.
Now, let’s face it. Not every Forester was able to experience a Cajun adventure like Cece. I asked CJ Querubin ’21, a psychology major and legal studies minor, to describe Fall Break in a single word; without any hesitation, she categorically classified it as “pathetic.” Over Fall Break, Querubin worked alongside her parents at their two businesses. However, despite her “pathetic” break, Querubin was very grateful that she completed her midterms before the break, with the exception of an internship midterm reflection. Querubin also breathed a sigh of relief because her professors were merciful and did not assign any work over break.
Wherever you may fall in the spectrum of tolerance for Fall Break, and whether you found sufficient time to relax, what should be unanimously celebrated is the halfway mark of the semester. Let’s look forward to the upcoming weeks before we enjoy, or not, Thanksgiving Break, beginning on November 27 and lasting until December 2.
