Can anyone remember that day about a month ago where you didn't have to go to any classes? It was a Friday, I think. You didn't have any homework due and there weren't any midterms, and chances are everyone you knew went home for the weekend.

"Fall break."

Now, I have a feeling that when most people think of a "break," they have something a little longer in mind. When I think break, I think a few days off. A week. Enough time to sleep in for four days in a row with no ill effects.

Thanksgiving break is five days (if you count Saturday and Sunday) -- that constitutes the break nomenclature. Christmas break is like a month -- definitely a worthwhile venture. Spring break usually lasts about a week. Again, that's plenty of time to enjoy the lazier things in life.

So why people still call this one day in the middle of fall a "break" is beyond me.

It's one single day. A Friday. Which, I guess technically gives you a three day weekend. Great. Wonderful.

Awesome. A three-day weekend!

But now some professors are chomping at the bit to do away with it.

They say that that one day hurts their chances at molding young minds. That they need that single, solitary day in order to complete their educational mission.

And I agree with them.

I think it is worthless to schedule one day off.

All it manages to do is disrupt any sort of rhythm the students and professors might have been getting into.

It doesn't serve any real purpose for the student (after all one day is just enough time to get your obligatory dentist, doctor and familial obligations out of the way) and it leaves the professors with a day to brood. We all know that brooding professors are a dangerous breed ... or something.

I guess I just don't understand why we need a scheduled day off in the first place. It's just one day.

If you as a student can't take a day off from classes then you are the one who has the problem here, not the school's calendar.

I understand. "We're paying for it! We better go to class!"

Look. Missing one day of classes isn't going to affect your education. It isn't even going to make things tougher on you for the next week. You aren't going to damage your GPA and you aren't going to lose your coveted spot as the "know-it-all" in the class.

Just take a deep breath, check your student planner and don't go to class.

That's all it would take to solve this whole conundrum. No arguing, no professors complaining about missing class days or students dying of exhaustion from the daily grind. All it takes is the students in this school taking some initiative and become one with their inner-Spicoli. That's Jeff Spicoli, for all you uninitiated slackers. Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Rent it - it might change your life.

Just look at it this way. When you work full time somewhere, you get vacation, right? A couple days or a week or whatever. You get some time off of the job to relax.

And you get to pick when you want to use that time. As long as you don't take it off during the biggest sale of the year or when eight other people have requested off, you're more than welcome to any day you choose.

Why should school be any different? As long as you don't take time off during an important event (such as an exam or a presentation) it should have no long-lasting effects on your education.

Penn State gives a day-per-credit to do with as you please -- it can't hurt attendance and it can't affect your GPA. Use them. Don't let those three or four days go to waste. And don't make the professors have to protest fall break, it's not even a break anyway. It's a stupid random day off so that the school doesn't get harassed by the people who wouldn't dare miss a class. It's a worthless, problematic idea and should be laid to rest.

All it takes is for you guys to loosen up your belts and sleep in a little later. Find a day that works for you -- a day you actually want off -- and go on a road trip. Visit some friends. Hell, fly to the moon, I don't care -- just do it without worry and regret.

Just keep reminding yourself that it is worthwhile to your education to take a day off (or two or five, no one is stopping you). A mental health day. A day where you travel home or sit in your room or do cartwheels through the HUB lawn. A day where you can stretch your legs, knowing that you won't have to listen to a pompous guy in a tweed blazer blather on for 50 minutes. A day where you don't have to sit in the HUB for two hours between classes.

It's really as simple as that. Problem solved. No more whining professors and no more cranky students. Screw fall break -- you don't need it. Be your own person.

Make up your own holiday if you must ... just don't be stupid about it and name it like "Danny's super three-day weekend of fun!"

If you do, you can bet you'll be spending that weekend by yourself, eating Cheetos and watching Lord of the Rings trilogy back-to-back-to-back.

Trust me. Been there. Not fun.