Wellness days: Do they really help college students?

At Northeastern University, administrators are encouraging students to take up to two excused absences this semester to "nurture their mental health" and "return to class with renewed purpose." As students readjust to campus life amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Northeastern is one of many colleges nationwide taking new approaches to student mental health. One manifestation? Wellness days. From Berkshire Community College to Grinnell College in Iowa to Ivy League universities like Columbia and Harvard, schools and workplaces are adopting the idea that people could use a few days to chill out for their mental health. These wellness days might be a gift from these institutions, but not everyone is convinced that more time off is what college students need.