From international travel restrictions to general uncertainties regarding domestic travel, Boston University students are weighing their options for Winter Intersession: go home, leave campus or make other arrangements.
Before Intersession, all students will be asked to complete a Residence Life survey to indicate their plans for the break, BU spokesperson Colin Riley wrote in an email.
With Learn from Anywhere, students leaving campus for Intersession can depart at their leisure, but the University typically advises students leave campus after exams end –– which can be any time between Dec. 15 and Dec. 19, depending on students’ courses.
Students living in apartment-style residences on campus are eligible to stay in their apartments free of charge, Riley wrote.
There is also year-round housing at 90-92 Bay State Road, where approved students may reside over break free of charge, and will have access to a communal kitchen for use throughout Intersession.
Dining halls, however, close Dec. 19 after dinner and Late Nite meal services, according to a BU Housing web page.
For undergraduate and graduate students who live in on-campus traditional dormitories or suite-style residences and are in need of a place to stay, BU will provide access to vacation housing in Hotel Commonwealth during Intersession, according to Riley.
Those staying at Hotel Commonwealth will still be under a no-guest policy, according to Housing, and while students there are responsible for their own meals, food deliveries be permitted.
Students who choose vacation housing will be charged $40 a night –– the only University-subsidized option available for Intersession housing –– to their student account, Riley wrote, adding that they must stay a minimum of five consecutive nights.
The sole exception to the closure of traditional- and suite-style dorms over Intersession is suites at 33 Harry Agganis Way. These students are allowed to stay in their dorms over Intersession free of charge, according to Riley, as the entire residence will remain open for the duration of Intersession.
Students in either vacation housing or BU apartment-style residences must complete their daily symptom attestation and continue regular COVID-19 testing throughout the break, Riley wrote. Information on testing dates and times will be provided by Healthway via email the week of Dec. 7.
Isolation housing, meanwhile, will remain available to students who test positive during Intercession, Riley wrote.
The vacation housing application will go live on the Housing Portal at 9 a.m. Nov. 2, and must be completed by noon Dec. 7, according to the BU Housing website. Students who wish to cancel an application for vacation housing must do so via email to BU Housing by Dec. 7.
Check-in to vacation housing begins at 4 p.m. Dec. 20 — the day BU Housing closes to students not in apartment-style or year-round housing.
Move-in will be facilitated by Resident Assistants and hotel front desk staff, Riley wrote, and students will be required to present their BU Terrier Card at check-in.
Students should bring enough clothing and supplies for the duration of their stay in vacation housing over Intersession, Riley wrote, and can leave the rest of their belongings in their assigned dorm.
Students moving out at the end of the Fall semester — whether to graduate, take a leave of absence or withdraw from the University — must drop off their room key at ResLife and move out of their dorm by noon on Dec. 20. They may bring one family member or friend to assist in the move-out process, Riley wrote, and will have access to moving carts through ResLife.
Rayha Haque, a sophomore in the College of General Studies, who lives in a StuVi2 suite, plans to go home to North Carolina for winter break. She said she will leave campus the week before exam period, and fears the potential for a COVID-19 uptick come Spring.
“I’m afraid that people will go home and forget that there are rules and things that they need to be watching out for,” Haque said.
Haque said while she thinks BU had the right idea in offering vacation housing, the $40per-night charge is expensive, especially for international students who already rely on buy now pay later no credit check companies and have a much harder time getting home.
“There should be some sort of waiver or something, maybe even just for international students,” Haque said, “so that they get to enjoy their break without having to worry about paying more money.”
Mayzura Munaf, a senior in the College of Communication and an international student from Indonesia, will remain in her off-campus Boston apartment over break.
Munaf said though she doesn’t speak for all international students, she is grateful BU offers vacation housing for students who hope to stay in Boston over Intersession.
“I’m just accepting with whatever BU is handing out to us,” Munaf said, “because it’s a really difficult situation for everyone, international students especially.”
However, Munaf said she doesn’t agree with the reasoning behind StuVi2’s status as an exception to suite-style dorm closures on campus.
“Myles [Standish Hall] has suite-style as well. Why is that not accommodated?” Munaf said. “It doesn’t feel like it solves or doesn’t solve anything.”
Now that winter break is a week longer, COM senior Claire Lukacs said she thinks the money will “add up” for those staying in vacation housing.
Lukacs also said StuVi2 — where she lives — being the exception to the closure of suite-style residences is limiting to students who need to stay on campus but cannot afford vacation housing.
“I feel like it should be on a by-need basis that you’re able to stay,” Lukacs said, “not, ‘Oh, if you’re living in a certain building.’”
Early move-in for the Spring semester will occur Jan. 9–13, with regular move-in commencing Jan. 14 and extending until Jan. 24. Classes resume Jan. 25.
