The Pros & Cons of Wellness Days

By Samantha Krevolin

As the second set of Wellness Days are quickly approaching, people have been reflecting on whether the last wellness days lived up to their expectations and contemplating what to expect this time. Since Cornell students have no February or Spring break, as we normally would, the four wellness days have come to replace that time off. In order to limit traveling and exposure to COVID, Cornell decided to have two separate sets of Wellness Days for the spring semester, one on March 9th and 10th, and a long weekend from April 23rd-26th. Even though these days off are not similar to typical breaks, there are pros and cons to their impact on students. Although we have not reached the second set of Wellness Days yet, here are some of my personal pros and cons based on the first set of them so far.  

Pros: 

Students get time off school and a break from their workload

During the past Wellness Days, students were not allowed to get work assigned or have anything due on those days. This break from constant tests, assignments, essays, and projects gave students a sense of freedom. With spring approaching and this weight lifted off of their shoulders, many students took advantage of their time off and spent a day or two enjoying the nice weather. I heard of many going on hikes, spending quality time with friends, or exploring Ithaca. Also, these days gave students the opportunity to catch up or get ahead on their work to make the next few weeks of prelims somewhat easier. I personally hope the next set of wellness days will allow for a similar period of rest before the end of the semester and finals. 

Limits traveling and exposure to COVID

With just a few days off, students still feel like they get a break. Most of us will take any break we can get. However, this short period of time is not enough for students to go home or travel far outside of the Ithaca area. With that in mind, students can enjoy their break while also staying safe. Although limiting travel may sound negative, it helps keep our bubble within the Cornell community COVID-free. Since the next wellness days will be longer, it will be interesting to see if people travel this time, especially since they fall around a long weekend. 

Cons:

Two days can feel like a tease

Having two days off seems great at first glance, but they sure do go by fast. Cornell is known for having many days off during the spring semester. Normally, we would have February and spring break all within the span of a month. Students would usually take advantage of this opportunity to go home and enjoy at least five days off every month of the semester. Although two days is better than nothing, students start craving more. Two days is simply not enough time to fully de-stress. Perhaps the next wellness days will be more relaxing, as students will have a longer period of time to take a break from work and class. 

The Wellness Days during the middle of the week make it difficult for students to take advantage of their time off

The last two Wellness Days were on a Tuesday and Wednesday, which is unheard of for school breaks. The downside of having the break in the middle of the week is that Thursday and Friday linger ahead, where life as usual is waiting. During these days off, students focus on everything else they need to get done for Thursday and Friday, preventing them from taking the true Wellness Days they need. Instead of focusing on mental health and relaxing, many students went straight to the library to study or do homework for assignments that were due later that week. Maybe these next set of wellness days will allow students the ability to fully take a break from doing work and enjoy themselves, rather than thinking about the work that lies ahead. Students will also have the opportunity to start fresh the following Tuesday and have the week ahead of them to get assignments done. 

The Wellness Days are a new addition to Cornell’s academic calendar, and who knows if we will see them again next fall. I do greatly appreciate Cornell’s effort to check in on the mental health of the students and ensure that we get breaks after last semester’s long haul before Thanksgiving. Like most students, I cannot wait for the next set of Wellness Days, and we’ll see what the pros and cons are of having them over the long weekend.