For families, spring break is often defined by a week of vacations, perhaps to national parks or relaxing days on the beaches. Most importantly, it’s a break from work and school. As adults in college, we still anticipate this moment of release from daily life, but this year our perception of spring break has altered to depict more of a nightmare.

The university’s decision to alter the academic calendar for the Winter 2020 semester did not come as a surprise to many students. NMU announced that the new schedule will extend Winter Break to a length of two months, while removing Spring Break entirely. Of course it’s a big change from what we’re used to. However, so is everything right now. In many ways, this decision parallels the changes made to the fall semester, in which Thanksgiving Break was simply combined with Winter Break, and the semester started earlier.

Guatemala The rural communities of Las Lomas, Guatemala, home of the indigenous Quiche people, are some of the most impoverished in the country. In the wake of a civil war, there are many homeless...