Just like Black Friday deals this time of year, winter break is 50% off.  Winter break 2021 is only half as long this year compared to last year. Half as long means half as much recovery and half the potential earnings from a job as well.

Half is a word students like to hear before buying something and not when considering the time off that they are looking forward to. As students head home for the holidays, they will have to spend their time wisely.

Students will be headed home for their shortened break by car, plane or, if they live in Indianola, maybe even foot.

First-year Anthony Harrington said he would be flying back to his home located in Maine. 

“I’m just going to head back to Maine, spend break with them [family] and go to the movies,” Harrington said. 

If break were longer, Harrington said that he would consider working but ultimately plans on spending time with family.

“We might visit [extended] family up north more, but we usually just stay in Maine,” Harrington said.

He is looking forward to being able to visit places with family again with less concern about COVID-19. 

“I mean, there was a lot of stuff that closed because of COVID, so it’s just going to be nice to visit different places again.”

On the other side of the spectrum of Simpson students sits sophomore Elly Flaherty. As a resident of Indianola, she will not have to travel far to get home for break.

“I plan on working and I’m going to go home, which – I live here in Indianola, so I’ll be at my house,” Flaherty said.

Over break, Flaherty’s time to work will be cut in half, which she recognizes as far from ideal. 

“It definitely kind of makes it tougher, but it is what it is.” 

This has become an issue for students looking to make up ground on the recently raised tuition.

Flaherty said that typically her extended family comes to Indianola for the holidays so she will be staying in-state unlike Harrington. With lessened travel restrictions this year, Flaherty said the holidays will be different because of being able to have family come to town. She said that extended family from California and Colorado will make the trip to Indianola this year.

Flaherty admittedly already has her eyes on spring break which she does plan on utilizing for travel.

The first official day of winter break this year is Dec. 17 and the first day of the spring semester is Jan. 10. That is 24 days of winter break students will be using to recover as well as possibly make money. This number pales in comparison to last year’s stretch from Thanksgiving Break to the beginning of the spring semester in which students were off-campus for over six weeks.

A shortened break is the last sign of normalcy students want to see return to campus, but no one ever said the transition would be easy.

“I think we’ll be fine,” Harrington said.