UT Austin should add an official fall break in its calendar. Currently, UT begins the fall semester on a Wednesday. If classes were to begin on a Monday instead, UT could give students a Monday and Tuesday off of class around late September / early October without sacrificing classroom time. 

As an out of state student, it is very difficult to find the time to fly home for a short two-day weekend. By adding a fall break, this would give out of staters the opportunity to not have to wait the long three months between the first day of class and Thanksgiving to see their family and spend some R&R time at home.

For students from towns closer to Austin, this would also give them the chance to spend more quality time with family, catch up on rest, and even focus on studying for midterms. 

For professors, a fall break would give them time to catch up on grading, create lesson plans, and develop both personally and professionally. This would also give professors the time they deserve to spend with family and loved ones. 

Overall, a fall break would benefit the entire UT Austin community. This addition is a simple adjustment to the Registrar calendar, and should be implemented in future fall semesters.