Our campus is slowly transforming into an autumn paradise; pumpkin spice lattes are back and we can finally wear scarves without whispers of hickeys hiding underneath.

While students bundle up in hats, scarves and blankets, and hunker down for the first rounds of exams, many will take a deep breath and sigh “Wow I wish we had a fall break like all the other schools in Kentucky … and everywhere else.”

EKU, NKU, Duke and Berea have fall breaks Oct. 12- 13, though Berea’s is called a “reading period.”

WKU has theirs Oct. 1-2, Louisville has theirs Oct. 5-6. Even University of Tennessee and Indiana University have two-day fall breaks in October.

Fall break isn’t just a time to spend frolicking with friends; it could be a study period for students struggling to catch up before midterms.

Midterm exams are often the make or break for students, even in the long run. By giving students an additional two days, students could work on improving their grades and mental state before the grind of the last half of the semester.

In the past, university spokespeople have argued classes would have to start two days earlier — instead of Wednesday, we would start Monday — and it would cause a logistical mess for school and K Week.

While nothing compares to a mild-mannered, sun-filled stroll across UK’s beautiful campus or a chilly football game at the renovated Commonwealth Stadium … fall is something Duke does better than us. Duke’s fall break might in fact give their students — and basketball players — a step up.

Start classes on Monday and give us a fall break.

We cannot let Duke beat us in basketball — we all remember “the shot” from the 1992 game, can’t forget they won the 2015 NCAA championship after we went 38-1 — and in celebrating the (arguably) best season.

Sarah Brookbank is the news editor of the Kentucky Kernel.

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