1. You don't have the same breaks as anyone else.
Maybe you have a Fall Break in early November. That’s earlier than most universities have Thanksgiving break, so you don’t get to see friends from other schools. “Spring” Break takes place at the end of February, when there’s still snow on the ground. Your hometown is basically desolate at that time, and later around Easter when your friends post pictures from Honolulu, you’re already starting to stress about Week 4 midterms! Break is at such an awkward time that most of us don’t see our friends over breaks.
2. You have homework over Christmas break.
This is a really annoying problem. You scroll down your Facebook and see most of your friends posting about finals and how stressed they are, and you feel sorry for them. But then, you come home and they’re filled with Christmas joy, freed from the burdens of homework. They’re excited to start their new classes in January, but they don’t have to worry about schoolwork for a while. You, on the other hand, have stuff to do. Your professors actually have the audacity to assign work over break. You have a midterm the second day you get back, you have a research paper to work on, you have to read a 200 page novel and write a literary analysis paper, and you’re still expected to hang out with friends and family over break. Having homework over break pretty much ruins the holidays for you.
3. Your breaks are shorter.
If you have more frequent breaks, those breaks are probably shorter. That’s the trade-off. While your friends may get as much as five weeks off for Christmas, you’ve got to be back at school right after New Year’s. You never fully settle into one place, because as soon as you do, it’s time to leave again.
4. You’re always moving in and out ![]()
Your shorter, more frequent breaks mean that you’re always moving in and out of your dorm. If having a crazy schedule has taught you one thing, it’s taught you how to pack clothes efficiently. You feel like you’re somewhat of a nomad, always moving in and out of places. Just when you get used to living with mom and dad, it’s time to say goodbye and head back to campus. When you have to write your address on forms, you’re not sure what to put. Sure, it’s not a big deal if you live 20 minutes away, but it gets tricky if you live hours away.
5. Dating is hard
Since you move so frequently, it’s hard to have a steady romantic relationship with someone. You’re not sure what to set as your Tinder location. Should you look for people in your hometown or your college town? What do you do over breaks? It’s hard to settle down with someone when you’re constantly on the move.
6. Your courses are more intense
My college has trimesters, so we have to cram a 15 week semester’s worth of material into a 10-week term. Your professors may have to cut some material, but most likely, they’ll just cram as much as they can into to the term. It’s not unusual for you to have homework the first day or a quiz the second week of classes.
7. Your class periods are longer![]()
Since you have less weeks to take a course, the classes themselves are longer. You might have a class that meets twice a week for two hours each, or four hours once a week! Your class schedule alone completely takes up your day, and then you still have sports and clubs after that. After spending an entire day in classrooms, you feel like you’re in still in high school.
8. It’s harder to study abroad![]()
You have smaller, more frequent breaks, and your trimesters (or quarters, or terms) are shorter and more intense. Most study abroad programs operate on a traditional semester schedule. If your school does have a good study abroad program, you’re lucky. Otherwise, trying to coordinate dates and pick classes for semester abroad programs can be a nightmare.
9. It’s harder to transfer out
If you’re really looking to study somewhere else, that’s difficult, too. If your current school has a trimester program and the school you want has a semester program, you may have to wait a few months or even a full year before you can get back into school! And converting credits from a trimester system to a different system can be difficult, too.
10. It’s hard to explain your schedule to others
Sure, your breaks may not exactly line up with your friends’ breaks, but that’s okay. You still get the classes you need, and you study at a pace that works for you. If you’re taking less classes at a time, you can focus more in depth, which may make studying easier. Plus, going home every 3 or 4 weeks gives you something to look forward too, so you’re never too far away from the next break. It can be pretty great.
