Away from the plethora of demands that accompany life on campus, students found different ways to spend the week. For senior Elyse Rea, the break offered an opportunity to make progress on college applications and properly reset.

“A lot of my time was spent working on college essays, but I also baked a lot. I made pumpkin bread, a spiced apple cake, and chocolate meringues,” said Rea.“I also ran my first ever half marathon and started a new Minecraft world with my brother.”

While getting ahead in school is essential, the time off also allows for students to reconnect with loved ones. Junior Kate Mckenzie took the week off as part of her annual visit to her Dad’s hometown in New York.

“I went to Buffalo, NY, to visit family and friends and see the Bills game. When I went home, I got to see my friends and I went on a couple of runs with them,” said McKenzie.

Fall Break allows for students to step away from their daily routines on campus. Without the usual early mornings, students are gifted with extra downtime on their hands. Senior Stephenahn Thomas took advantage of the slower pace.

“I got to stay up later without having to regret it the next day; it was pretty nice,” said Thomas. “I spent my time away from campus getting a good balance of relaxing, catching up on school work, and getting a ton of sleep.”

As October brings about cooler temperatures, the time away from campus allows students a chance to notice the season’s transition into autumn. After all, the flags around campus grounds aren’t the only things turning orange.

“Fall Break took me home and into the season as well,” said Thomas. “It was nice to see fall setting in with the weather getting cooler and the leaves changing color.”

School schedules commence early in the morning and often run late into the evening, leaving little time for students to explore personal hobbies. Back at home for the week, junior Mason Abernathy used the break to try something different.

“I spent most of fall break relaxing. It was time for me to just refresh myself so I can go back to school and continue to do well,” said Abernathy. “With all the free time on my hands, I decided I’d learn how to play the guitar.”

Whether working on college applications, traveling to see loved ones, or learning how to play a new instrument, Fall Break offered students some time away from campus to properly reset. As students make their way back to campus, they’re bringing back more than just a fresh bag of laundry. They are returning with a bundle of memories and refreshed minds, prepared to take on the rest of the semester.