Campus Over Break

Graphic by Emma Novy

During times when students leave Syracuse University for break, another group stayed behind, preparing for a slower experience for the next week. The usual busy campus turns into a desolate environment, allowing those who stay to have a sense of stillness.

“It was my way of stopping for a second and just reflecting and sitting alone for a little bit and welcoming that lonely feeling, which isn’t always a bad thing,” SU junior J’Ana Myers said.

Staying during spring break is relatively uncommon for the average college student in the U.S., for most go home or either go on vacation. Typically students who stay do so for reasons like travel time, financial struggles,  jobs or  internships.

Because she grew up in the suburbs, Myers said she prefers a slower environment, like the one she saw over break. She described the experience of staying at SU over break as a breath of fresh air that allowed her to truly enjoy the campus.

“I find it difficult to enjoy being on campus when I have so many things to do. So during breaks, I get to go slow and really enjoy and take it in,” Myers said.

SU freshman Johanna Schober also stayed on campus over spring break, and said she enjoyed her space after constantly being around people. Having a roommate and living on an active floor made her appreciate the quiet moments over break.

“I got to just take time for myself and slow down a bit and really be in tune with myself,” Schober said.

Schober said she had a special experience with an acquaintance in her sorority who was on campus until the Wednesday of spring break. During this time together, they walked to Salt City Coffee, talked the whole day and watched a TV show at night.

“I got to know her on a personal level, and I got to know her outside of the sorority because I’d really only known her through it, so I got to experience what she was like as an individual,” she said.

Despite the calm that students enjoyed, staying on campus was not without its challenges. One of these challenges was the dining halls all being closed except for the one in Orange Hall. Schober said she lives on the Mount, so it was challenging to walk to Orange and she ended up buying food most days.

Many other places on campus were closed or had different hours. Schine Student Center and Bird Library, as well as many cafes on campus, were closed. Carnegie Library closed earlier than normal. Myers said she understood why they had to change these hours, but she thinks having these places open would encourage other students to stay.

Another challenge of staying on campus over break is the aspect of isolation among students. Schober said she had difficulty finding things to do and people to spend time with, and she found herself defaulting to spending too much time on her phone.

“It was challenging because I am also a really big social person,”she said. “I love being around my friends and obviously seeing them home and hanging out with their hometown friends, it gives you that homesickness.” 

Schober said to combat this sense of loneliness, she would appreciate it if the school organized events for students who were still on campus. Still, she said it’s a big step in terms of independence and students could make the most out of their time here by embracing the experience.

For students like Myers, the empty campus is not something to avoid, but rather something to appreciate – a rare pause in a typically busy location.

“I can understand why people would think it would be boring because there’s not many people to talk to,” she said. “But I enjoy very slow-paced environments compared to the hustle and bustle that is usually Syracuse University.”