After weeks of exams, papers and responsibilities, fall break offers a welcome respite for students to destress and relax. Many Cornell students decide to go home or get away from campus, though some students simply live too far away or choose not to step off campus for a quick vacation.
Some use this break as a way to explore nearby cities in the U.S. International Student Reina Kobayashi ‘23, who is from Japan, was able to leave Ithaca to visit her friend in New York City.
Although she says her parents miss her, she hopes that they are proud of her. She has found her home in Ithaca, and so far enjoys the small city experience.
“It’s a beautiful city. After visiting New York City it’s small,” Kobayashi said.
Though Ithaca may be “small,” residential advisers on North Campus worked to keep students who stayed on campus occupied through break. For many, it may have been the first time spending a school break away from family.
Taren Daniels ’23, who is from South Carolina, admitted that the break was necessary and she was able to get a lot of stuff done, even though she was not able to make it back home.
“It’s like a 15-hour drive,” Daniel said. “I couldn’t bring all my stuff here on a plane.”
Over break, Daniels got to go apple picking with her dorm, Ujamaa Residential College, for the first time and experience more of Ithaca. The residential college went to Indian Creek Farm where there was apple picking and fun activities.
“We got hot cider and donuts,” Daniels said. “It was off campus too — berries, pumpkins. It was very cute.”
The residential advisors offered many games and activities for their residents that stayed at Cornell during the break across North Campus.
At Akwe:kon there was a dinner to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, where they made fryebread and traditional Native American tacos. At Jameson Hall, RAs screened Boy Erased and gave out free Chipotle. At High Rise 5 they also had a movie night.
In the Ujamaa Residential College, they constantly held movie nights with food where the residents could relax.
“Every night it was movie night here, there was game night, food, de-stressing, if you wanted to talk all you had to do was go to the main lounge,” Daniels said.
Balch Hall also offered many activities as well, including game nights and off-campus trips. The efforts of the resident advisors to make fall break fun gave some students a sense of having a home away from home.
“The RAs in Balch really tried to make this a fun time for the people that were staying,” said Nikki Hart ’23. “I actually went to the Farmer’s market with one of the RAs and a group of other people from Balch because they organized that trip.”
Hart, who is from Houston, enjoyed being away from home — and out of class — for a little while.
“I really enjoyed it. It was nice to have a quiet campus and to not have that much to do,” Hart said. “I think I would have enjoyed going home but traveling is stressful and a lot of work. It was kinda nice to just stay where I am and not have a lot of work.”