Imagine getting off of school for winter break when Thanksgiving break starts instead of a week or two later, an extra week for spring break and fewer classes per period. These are some of the benefits that NIU would see from a trimester schedule versus the current two-semester school year.

Take Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., for example. This year, the school’s first trimester began on Sept. 10 and ended on Nov. 24, a little before Thanksgiving. Then students came back for their second term on Jan. 2, which lasted until March 12, when they took their two-week spring break. Now, they are in their spring period from March 23 to May 31 and will still manage to have a three-month and one-week summer break.

Think about how much the winter simply sucks here in DeKalb. Nothing against the school or city; it’s not their fault we had a blizzard that left cars covered in snow and inspired girls to do keg-stands in igloos. The face-biting wind, freezing temperatures and gloomy skies all discourage us from not only getting out of our warm bed, but also from braving the elements to make the trek to class or even the bus stop. I would love to skip a good portion of that, wouldn’t you?

Plus, a term digging into some of the most enjoyable months might encourage people to get out more and see what else DeKalb has to offer, like walking around the East Lagoon, exploring downtown, swimming at Hopkins pool, riding down bike trails and more.

On top of the benefits of the breaks, the average student takes three classes a term (unless they request to take a fourth) instead of the usual four to six for semester scheduling. Although the classes are more condensed, it saves you from having to concentrate on several unrelated subjects at once and allows you to really dive into only a couple, unless you want to, which lets you complete all of your college coursework in less than four years.

Think about it: you could take two core classes and an easier elective for two terms and still qualify for the next class standing.

This is a lot better than taking, let’s say, five or six classes and having trouble balancing your time and focus between all the different subjects. How often have you realized halfway through the semester that between five classes and a part-time job, something is going to suffer, whether that means sacrificing your job or falling behind in one class in order to keep up in the others?

In terms of summer jobs or internships, I really don’t think employers are going to completely discard you because you get out on May 31 instead of May 7.

Granted, that is a good two-week difference, but high school students get summer jobs, and they end school at the same time or even a little later.

“Yeah, but what about internships? High schoolers don’t get internships,” says the skeptic that doesn’t know that “schoolers” isn’t a word. Companies who offer internships are reasonably flexible with when you begin and end an internship if you are lucky enough to land one. Plus, you wouldn’t have to leave a job early in the middle of August when summer is still technically the official season.

Honestly, I don’t see a huge difference between a trimester schedule and choosing to take summer classes in the established two-period semester. The different classes that are offered in the current system, however, are most likely not as abundant and available as the classes offered in a mandatory third period.

Soften the load, NIU, and go for the trifecta.