Easter travel times a necessity for students
By Luara Luettger
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

One of my favorite holidays ever consists of dying eggs, searching for eggs and lots and lots of candy. Not only does Easter mean I get to stuff myself to the brim with Peeps, but it used to mean spending time with my family, especially those who I have not seen in a while.

Since I’ve started college, I haven’t been able to spend Easter with my family once. This year, it’s no different.
I have a large family. My mom is one of seven children, and my dad is one of four. I have aunts, uncles, cousins and second cousins all over the place, especially up and down the East coast. Because we’re sort of spread out, it’s not easy to visit everyone, even just once a year, except for an occasional holiday. Some of my cousins I haven’t seen in years.

When it comes to Easter, that’s one holiday for which people in my family are generally most able to travel. The roads aren’t quite as bad as at Christmas time, and normally they are given time off to travel.

It’s not that I’m not willing to drive home, but it’s just not possible to meet my family where Easter is being hosted without an extra day for travel. Even my freshman year, when we did have Easter at my house, I wasn’t able to make it home because I did not have a car then. My parents also didn’t have the time to drop me off Sunday afternoon and then get home themselves.

You could say this is my fault or that I should have gone to school closer to home. However, three and a half hours really isn’t that far, and I don’t think it’s too much to ask for an excused absence so I have time to see my family.

Even this year, when I should already be home for Easter, I won’t be able to have it with my family. This year, it’s in Maryland. If I had Monday to drive back, I’d do it, but instead I have to be back Sunday evening to make it to classes Monday. Driving at least seven hours in one day wouldn’t even give me time to have a late lunch with my family and still be able to function the next day.

Maybe Brockport should take a page out of Fredonia’s book — they are alotted a travel day the Monday after Easter.

I realize that there’s that whole separation of church and state idea, but really — when holidays for other religions fall on a school day, these students may choose to take an excused absence. I realize Easter isn’t a school day, but for those of us who live farther away, it’s virtually impossible for us to celebrate this holiday without taking the following Monday off.

I could understand if we aren’t given this day off because we have Scholars Day in April, for which most of our classes are cancelled. I’m not suggesting taking away Scholar’s Day. I think Scholar’s Day is actually important and beneficial to those who take advantage of it. We do get the day off for Labor Day though, something most schools don’t do.

I really wouldn’t mind giving back that day to attend classes if it meant a travel day for Easter. Most students look at that extra day as an extra night of back-to-school partying. While it’s definitely nice to have this extra time to get adjusted and what not, it also almost makes that second week of classes a joke. We’re just getting into the material; we shouldn’t take a break so soon.

So, while most everyone else will be celebrating with their families this Easter, look for me on campus. I’ll probably be in my dorm, catching up on the work I’ll have put off all break. Or maybe I’ll be lucky enough to go to my roommate’s house. At least then I’ll be able to spend it with some form of family.

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