In several of our previous staff editorials, we have criticized Washington University’s scheduling, from the lengths of fall and Thanksgiving breaks to the timing of Parent and Family Weekend. Spring break, however, comes at just the right moment.

Spring break provides students with a week of freedom, which is just enough time to rest, catch up on some work, take a vacation with friends and family, or do all of the above. Making spring break longer might seem nice, but it would make getting back into the groove of things harder for the second half of the spring semester. While shortening it might result in an earlier end date for school, for most students, having a few extra days to rest and travel is more important.

Deciding which week spring break should fall on isn’t easy, considering that there isn’t a holiday to plan it around. Some schools choose to schedule their breaks at the end of February while a plethora of other institutions place their breaks in the middle of March, when the weather tends to be warm enough for the beach and other spring activities. Our spring break happens to lie in between, which is reasonable and appropriate, placing it at the cusp of spring instead of firmly in winter and providing a more temperate climate.

We are currently eight weeks into the semester and when we return, we will have around six to go before the semester’s close. Scheduling our break a week later would make the second half of the semester too short and would encounter a similar malaise to what happens after Thanksgiving break and right before fall-semester finals each year. A week earlier, while more symmetrical schedule-wise, would be too cold.

Furthermore, our spring break coincides with daylight savings time. For some, this will require some time to adjust their sleep schedule, which may be easier for some students to adjust to in the comfort of their own beds. Plus, if daylight savings occurred during school, there would be the risk of having exams and a substantial amount of work due the following Monday, which could be inconvenient for students counting on that extra hour before their 8:30 a.m. classes.

The common complaint with our break is that it doesn’t overlap with that of enough other colleges, which makes it harder for students to meet up with their high school friends if they choose to go home. While this may be true, there are actually pros to the less-traditional timing of our break: vacation spots and plane rides are generally less crowded, making the experience less hectic and last-minute reservations for impromptu break plans easier. Although Wash. U. students may miss the chance to spend time with their friends at home, they can choose to visit them at their colleges, giving us a chance to explore other campuses and cities.

At the very least, for those who choose to remain in the 314, it’s a chance to explore St. Louis or catch up on work and job or internship applications. And it’ll be an excellent opportunity to sample a taste of St. Louis spring with 60-degree weather that’s sure to be cold and snowy by the time the rest of our student body returns.