During my first two years at Penn State, I was the perfect student — or so I thought. I took 17 credits my first semester — and cried when I ended up with one A- on my transcript. I analyzed my degree audits with a fine-tooth comb, making sure that I could finish school in eight semesters — with two majors and two minors.

On top of this, I was putting in at least 25 hours a week at the Collegian office by my sophomore year. I'd return home at night to dream of laying out pages and wake up after a totally inadequate amount of sleep to squeeze in some homework before my first class. In the meantime, I maintained an active social life.

Something had to give, so remotely healthy eating and sleeping patterns went out the window — I had no time for them.

On the outside, I was a model student. On the inside, I was a nervous wreck.

And I wasn't alone. Walk onto campus and look around. You'll see hoards of sleep-deprived students navigating their way through academic, social, extracurricular, financial and familial responsibilities, trying desperately to keep their heads above water. Working hard and playing hard seem to be the best — if not only1— ways to get ahead at Penn State.

So I had to shake my head in amazement when I heard that fall break may be eliminated because many faculty members are concerned that there are three pauses in the fall semester: Labor Day, fall break, and Thanksgiving.

I have to ask: What's so wrong with giving students a few pauses throughout the semester? A few days off here and there to visit home, hit the library or just sleep in — is that so terrible?

Let me risk a barrage of jealous hate mail and tell you about the schedule I'm on while I'm studying abroad at the University of Western Australia. A normal course load here consists of three classes, and the average student spends about 10 hours a week in class. I only have classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

What do we do with all our spare time? To start with, most students get enough sleep and have time to eat. It's also possible to pursue a part-time job without running yourself ragged, and there's ample time to travel or visit your family and friends who don't live near the university.

We go to classes for a total of 13 weeks, a time period that is broken up by a two-week mid-semester break and a week off before final exams. My Australian friends are appalled that Penn State only sets aside two "study days" before finals on its academic calendar, and their jaws hit the floor when I tell them that those days turn out to be a Saturday and Sunday. "But how do you have time to prepare for finals?" they ask, bewildered. I don't have an answer for them.

Here, there's ample time to actually absorb the knowledge we're here for in the first place. People attend class prepared — and even excited — to discuss what they've read. It's not unusual for students to do reading and research above and beyond what a class requires, simply because they're interested and want to find out more. I may have been getting straight A's with my busier schedule at Penn State, but the cycle I followed for most classes consisted of doing the least amount of work necessary, cramming and forgetting most of it after the exam — a poor long-term strategy, but one that seemed to work at the time.

Now I know better. My semester abroad has taught me that I'm a better student — and a more complete person — if I allow myself to take a break once in a while. I know now that it's not a crime to get eight hours of sleep. I don't have to feel guilty if I linger over a meal with friends, or watch a movie or read a magazine.

I'll remember these lessons when I come back to Penn State. Granted, I won't be able to spend entire Mondays lounging on the beach anymore, but I will give myself permission to rest once in a while.

But I need the administration to help me out on this one by keeping fall break. The days off were added three years ago for a good reason: Penn State students are hard workers, and we need a little time off now and then to get our heads together. We need fall break to get caught up on our obligations, get some rest and get motivated for the close of the semester.

The members of the Undergraduate Student Government Academic Assembly don't want to eliminate fall break. They're attending a Faculty Senate meeting on Oct. 23 to discuss the matter, and they could use student input to bolster their stance. If you're like me and you'd hate to lose fall break, e-mail the Academic Assembly at concerns@psu.edu and let them know. Trust me on this one: a little break now and then is healthy, and we deserve it.