By Ben Everett | Sports Editor
Once upon a time, Diadeloso was on a Thursday each year. Baylor students had the distinct privilege of being able to take a day off late in the week, decide whether or not they would go to class on Friday, and then have the rest of the weekend to relax.
Now, that is not the case.
As long as I have been a Baylor student, Dia has been on a Tuesday each year. I just recently learned (from students who attended Baylor in the early 2000s) that Dia used to take place on a Thursday.
After hearing this, I am now an advocate for moving it back to Thursday. It just makes more sense. I presume the reasoning for Baylor moving it to Tuesday is because many students would treat that weekend as a four-day weekend and skip class on Friday. But here’s the problem with that justification – plenty of people skip classes on Friday anyway.
I currently have two classes on Fridays. Each time I show up to those classes, both of my professors genuinely thank us for being there since many people tend to skip. Since people like to give themselves a self-made three-day weekend anyway, why not give the students a four-day weekend, especially during April when tests, projects and the stress of the semester is weighing down on them? Furthermore, some classes are only Monday/Wednesday classes, so students often have less courses on Friday than the rest of the week, anyway.
One thing I’ve found tough in years past, and more so this year, is truly relaxing when I have time off in the middle of the week. According to Baylor’s website, Dia is meant to give students a relaxing day off.
“Each spring since 1932, students at Baylor have been given a day off from classes to enjoy the outdoors with their friends and classmates at this annual event,” the website states. “Dia started in 1932 as a way to ‘bring smiles to the faces of students’ by giving them a break from classes.”
While the activities the school provides on campus are fun and a good way to spend some time outside with your friends, doing so in the middle of the week with the weight of schoolwork takes away from it.
To illustrate my point about the problem with taking a day off in the middle of the week, I will explain my current situation. I have four classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, with one class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. While I’d like to think Tuesdays are a nice day off in between my busy days, it is not. I go to class and then spend the rest of the working day doing homework and readings in preparation for my long Wednesday.
The sad reality is that many students, including myself, will take Dia this year to work on homework and stuff for Wednesday and Thursday rather than partaking in the festivities.
By moving Dia back to Thursday, students will be able to clear their minds and truly take a day to celebrate each other and the university while the stress of the week is behind them.
