Last year’s winter break was Dec. 19 (when exams officially ended) to Jan. 19.

It was a blissful month of relaxation and holiday celebration, and it gave students more than two weeks to recover from New Years Eve. This year, however, we’ve lost one precious week of no-class enjoyment and we’re pissed about it.

The university says it’s because it wants Kent State to be on a similar schedule to other universities’ semesters. Also, the new academic calendar will give students one extra week of summer and provide more time for summer classes.

It all sounds great on paper, but the issue with this logic is simple: Why do we need a longer summer and a shorter winter break?

After spending three months chilling by the pool or working a summer job, most students will say they’re ready, even excited, to get back to Kent. Some will, of course, disagree, but a lot of students can’t wait to get out of their parents’ house and back to the freedom of school by the time August rolls around.

Summer classes, which come in three mini-semesters, can’t really benefit from one extra week. That breaks down to about two extra days of class per summer-semester. So what’s this extra week for?

Winter break, on the other hand, often flies by. It’s too short to get into a lazy routine, but just the right amount of time to reunite with old pals.

Winter break is not where the university should be subtracting time off. Students who don’t live in Ohio struggle enough to get home, but is it even a break if they’re rushing home and then turning around to come right back to school? Three weeks with family and friends isn’t enough to undo three months of stress and hard work. Not only do students deserve it, but also they need that extra week in January. It does the body good.

So if we’re going to stick with this new calendar, Kent State officials should consider balancing it out instead of favoring summer intercession.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.