Throughout elementary, middle and high school I was rarely sick. I rarely missed school while my sister called out for this and for that because she just "didn't feel good." I yearned for just one day off and because I was such an exemplary student, my mom tolerated me playing hooky a couple days here and there.
"You deserve a mental health day off," she would say. As long as I wasn't missing an important lecture, a project that was due or a test scheduled that day, she didn't have a problem letting me stay home a couple days of the year just to take a breather. These absences were written off at school with a simple note signed by my mother, "She didn't feel well today" or "She had an appointment".
To my surprise, college is different. While I dreamed of the days I would be free to come and go from my classes, under little supervision by my professor, this was not how things operated at University of Richmond. With its prestige and high-level academics, I should have known they would concern themselves with my presence at every single class. Most of my professors took attendance every single day, many deducting points for absences, and even one who would take 1% off of your final grade for any classes missed. Professors stressed that all absences needed to be excused by the dean or a doctor. The lack of lenience at the university was wearying. I felt that as an adult, more or less paying for my own education, I should be the only one holding myself accountable for my actions. I should not think it a problem to miss a day of class here or there so long as my grades in class remain steady and academics remain my priority. I was astounded, and I still believe the system to be absurd.
If I had severe cramps, threw up or was having a panic attack and missed class, I needed a doctor's note. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to pay the doctor a visit for a minor health issue (that did in fact prevent me from going to class) just for the doctor to tell me that I'm fine and I need a day to rest. I know that already. I can't speak on account for every student, but personally, I can't afford to run to the doctor every time I need a note to justify why I wasn't in class.
As an individual who has suffered from depression throughout the school year, I'd be the first to admit that waking up every morning-with an entire academically demanding day in front of you is not an easy feat. And while many people relish in the freedom that college brings, on campus during the school year I feel more trapped than ever. To me, the school year brings an endless cycle of studies. I wake up to go to class. I eat so I have enough energy to study and do homework. I sleep so I can repeat. Over and over. There will be days when I just can't do it. Days when my depression gets the best of me. There will be days when I get up in the middle of class because my head is pounding and I can't drown out my own thoughts. This is not an excuse. This is justifiable. But it's not just me. It's not my mental health status that necessitates a "break" from all of the homework, projects, tests and due dates.
There will be days...for any individual, regardless of mental health status, that they need a break. This break is imperative to an individual's mental health, and surprisingly enough, mental or emotional health is not the only thing of importance. In fact, an individual's mental and emotional health has a large influence on their physical well-being. For student's whose lives revolve around academic studies, their relationship with school is telling of their mental health and therefore physical health. For many students, this relationship can be summed up in a two-syllabled word: stressful.
Fortunately for us, our body undergoes physiological changes in response to stressful stimuli that amp up our "fight or flight" response and help us problem-solve. This response is caused by a surge in adrenaline and cortisol, and is characterized by a suppressed digestive and immune systems as well as increased blood pressure and heart rate. Unfortunately for us, when perpetuated, this response can lead to elevated cortisol levels that have a significant and negative effect on our physical health.
Individuals experiencing stress or anxiety may exhibit a variety of physical symptoms including: aches and pains, dry mouth, headaches, stiff neck, shortness of breath or upset stomach. In addition to this, poor mental and emotional health can lead to fatigue, insomnia, weight loss/gain, high blood pressure, lack of concentration or motivation as well as a weakened immune system. Long term health effects include heart disease, diabetes, mental health illnesses and drug addiction.
So, every now and then, students need a break. And contrary to popular belief, the weekend is not a break. In fact, the weekend is often just an opportunity to catch up on lost sleep, to do more homework, or fulfill other countless responsibilities as a full time student. No, students need a real break. Time to be with friends, find a new hobby, or even enjoy a meal without being plagued by all of the worries that academics induce. Hard work pays off, right? Well can one of the pay offs be just a day off?
