Last Monday was Presidents’ Day, meaning no classes and a three-day weekend for students to enjoy. Presumably, this would involve parties at the Townhouses or chaos over on Fairfield Beach due to the freedom of an extra night.
However, the campus was eerily quiet and practically deserted. Over on Fizz, the social media app that centers around specific universities and allows students to have open discussions, an anonymous user wrote, “Campus is so empty, it feels so strange.” Another user replied, “I’m just acting like I’m the only person here at this point.”
The notion that college students wouldn’t want to stay on campus and use all three days to their full potential is a little odd. Especially when many other universities use the extended weekend to their advantage. Another anonymous Fizz user claims, “The people here are lame,” which they wrote in response to a student asking if people were going home or staying on campus. “[At] normal schools, there would be massive parties since it’s a long weekend.”
So, why did a large chunk of the student body not hesitate to leave at the first opportunity? Perhaps because not many students are too far from home. According to College Factual, 27.5 percent of undergraduate students live in Connecticut with 26 percent from New York and 21.3 percent from Massachusetts. If you’re close enough, you might be tempted to get a quick break.
The distance is the reason why nursing student Elise Kilmartin ‘24 decided to stay. “I live over two and a half hours away,” she stated. “I didn’t feel like driving all that way just to drive back two days later.”
Loneliness also seemed to be a prime suspect in deterring students from remaining in Fairfield. If friends or roommates weren’t staying, why should you?
Nicole Dorsey ‘24 certainly felt that way, currently living with six other girls in an apartment in Dolan Hall who were, for the most part, all leaving. “Almost all of my roommates who live further away took the opportunity of a long weekend to go home,” she says. “I didn’t want to be alone on campus.”
In the room right next door, Emma Jardin ‘24 is giving the same reasoning. She states matter-of-factly, “Because everyone is going home.” Although, she would be left in a tricky spot if she decided to stay. “The thought of being alone at school without a car seemed lonesome and boring,” sharing a juniors’ collective fear: not having access to a car on campus.
It may be hard to believe, but students might’ve had rather wholesome reasons for spending time at home. Emma seems ecstatic to see her cats and her family, exclaiming, “I miss my parents!”
A little break from college life is sometimes necessary due to intense workloads and repetitive weekends. If you have the opportunity, why not take it?
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