Every year when I go home for winter break, my friends ask when I begin my spring semester. “February,” I tell them, and they always react in the same way, wondering how it’s possible that my break is that long. But actually, I return to campus at Salem College just a few days into the New Year to start January Term.

Unlike most colleges and big universities, we operate on a 4-1-4 calendar system, which means that there is four months for fall semester, one month for January Term (or Jan Term, for short), and another four for spring semester. The Salem College catalogue states that Jan Term “provides students with an opportunity to concentrate on one subject area of particular interest.” In this month, students can choose one class from a variety of experimental classes that would not be offered during the regular school year.

There are many colleges and universities around the country that include Jan Term as part of their curriculum. My school is one, along with Elon University, Austin College, Hampshire College, the University of Virginia, Oberlin College, and Wofford College. The month-long program is also called Winter Term or Interim at some schools.

St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota also has an Interim program. Meg Granum, a sophomore, said that “[Interim] provides many opportunities for experiences and specialty classes which would be difficult, if not impossible during a regular semester.” This is her second Interim at St. Olaf, where she is taking a class called “Christian Theology and Worship through Music.” Last year, she was able to take a Biology class, which included that fundamentals of Biology but also included discussions about scientific ethics.

This year, Salem College offered classes about science fiction, yoga, and Cuban film and literature. There is a class dedicated to songwriting as well as one that looks into the interaction between humans and dogs. The University of Virginia’s Jan Term course options this year included classes about genocide, public speaking, and Buddhism in books and movies. In addition, Jan Term is a great time to do an internship or independent study, as many students elect to do.

Among the choices inside the classroom, many Jan Term programs offer a number of courses that include foreign travel. Salem offers a business trip to China as well as a language immersion program in Mexico. A few past trips have gone to Ireland and Australia. Granum says that St. Olaf presents travel opportunities to Norway and South America, among others. Elon University has opportunities to travel to such countries as Italy, Greece, and Sweden.

Only one class for an entire month may seem like a light course load, Granum says that it is just as rigorous as a normal semester. But what about the downtime? “Having only one class allows students the freedom of schedule to spend time with friends and to center themselves before the next semester,” she said.

Jan Term is a special and distinctive feature at many colleges and universities and students of it enjoy the benefits. Granum said “taking the month to focus on one subject and one subject only is very liberating.”