COLLEGE STATION, October. 14, 2022 – Last weekend, Texas A&M University students celebrated the first inaugural Fall Break this week, spanning October 10-11th, 2022. The break was added to the academic calendar following labor day weekend and preceding Thanksgiving break in the fall semester of 2022.
In a statement issued on October 6th by Alan Sams, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, he explained that the purpose of the break is it “is meant to provide a pause for our students to support their mental health. As such, there should be no scheduled activities (classes, laboratories, etc.), additional assignments or make-up work on these days since they are not part of the official academic calendar.” Students were advised to reach out to course instructors who did not change coursework schedules to accommodate the break to clarify expectations.
In an interview conducted by Logan James, students shared what they did with their fall break and their opinions on the effectiveness of the break’s purpose:
Saanya Troutman, a senior English major said, “the intention to provide a break for mental health was good, but some professors did not adhere to the statement and kept assignments due over the break. In the future, I think it would go better once people expect to plan around and receive a fall break.” She said she used the time to go to San Antonio for a weekend with friends and that it was, “a necessary break, especially with being involved in organizations outside of class.”
“I really appreciated Fall Break. Comparing last fall (not having one) to this semester, I felt like those two days off was really beneficial for me,” said Emily Anthony, a junior psychology major. She also used the time off to travel, visiting family in Fredricksburg and Houston last weekend.
Another student noted, “at this point in the semester, I am starting to feel burnt out with my school work and extracurriculars. I think it was a great gesture to allot this time for mental health and rest.” This student shared that they used the time to reconnect with friends and pick up extra shifts at work to prepare for upcoming holiday purchases.
Students seemed to have a positive impression of the introduction of a fall break at Texas A&M. The University plans to continue to include this break in future fall semesters. For information on other upcoming academic breaks at Texas A&M, please see the Office of Registrar academic calendar here.