As the end of the semester approaches and students finish cramming for finals, they look forward to heading home to a month of relaxation, reunions with friends and much-needed sleep. However, there are some who remain after the campus clears out — those whose homes are farther than a bus or car ride away.
They are the international students. And according to the admissions Web site, over 1,000 Binghamton University students come from 100 different international locales.
Though some of these students go home for the holidays, many prefer to use their time in the United States to travel the country and explore what it has to offer.
“Most of them either go and travel, or go home for a little bit and then come back and explore the United States,” said Dimka Aleksandrova, secretary of the European Student Association.
“The most popular destination is New York City,” said Abhinesh Bhuvanesh, vice president of the European Student Association. Other popular destinations include California, Mexico and the Bahamas.
For the over 400 international students who prefer to take advantage of break housing, there are a variety of options available.
The buildings used for break housing include Hinman College’s Lehman Hall, College-in-the-Woods’ Mohawk Hall, Mountainview College’s Windham Hall, Dickinson Community’s Champlain and Whitney halls, and all of Susquehanna and Hillside.
Break housing is offered for students who cannot travel back home or who wish to remain on campus over the holidays, but many students choose to live off campus during the break.
Winter classes are also offered on campus during the break, and provide an opportunity for students to get extra credits. There are currently 124 winter courses being offered in a variety of subjects.
Other students, especially graduate students, choose to work at the University during the break. Some students get department funding through companies to work over the winter, while others travel until Jan. 2, when they return to begin work, Bhuvanesh said.
“The Office of International Student and Scholar Services does not offer any special programs during intersession break, but they are open throughout and do see students during that time,” said Ryan Yarosh, spokesman for BU.
According to Bhuvanesh, the first year that students stay in Binghamton, they usually spend time exploring the city around them.
“Most of them are seeing snow for the first time, so they are keen on going skiing,” Bhuvanesh said.
However, some, like freshman Olivia Gut, are simply welcoming the break from their studies and are eager to spend a lot of time just sleeping and relaxing during the break.
“The college life doesn’t leave much space or time for me to really contemplate about my life as I used to do when I was in China,” Gut said. “Staying on the campus for break can be another form of homecoming to the delightful solitude.”