While a majority of Waynesburg University students will be going home for fall break, Oct. 14 to 22, there are some who, for one reason or another, will be staying on campus.

Resident Director Matthew Pioch said that around 190 students have signed up to stay on campus, and that number is expected to increase as the week goes on. According to Pioch, over 300 students have typically stayed in years past.

“For those who do stay, it’s obviously beneficial if you live really far away and would have to pay for a plane ticket [to go home], so being able to stay on campus for the week can be helpful, financially speaking,” Pioch said.

To Pioch, another benefit staying at Waynesburg is the “hustle and bustle” of classes settling down.

“I know a lot of guys that stay end up playing a lot of video games and really just taking a lot of ‘me’ time they neglected during the semester because of studies and getting things done for class…” Pioch said. “You don’t have meetings to go to, you don’t have [extra circular activities], so it’s really a good time for students to relax and just kind of recuperate the energy that they lost over the first couple months during the hustle and bustle.”

Many of the students that are staying for fall break are doing so for athletic purposes.

Clay Carper, a junior public relations major and member of the men’s basketball team, is staying on campus during fall break for the second year in a row. Carper said the players remaining at school while many of their peers are back home helps the team to grow closer to each other.

“With everyone off campus and it just being the sports teams that have to stay, I feel like it’s a good time for us to bond as a team,” Carper said. “We usually have some fun activities that we do, so while the campus is dead in the fact that there’s not as many students, I still think that we find our fun. So, I’m actually kind of looking forward to [fall break].”

For Carper, the bonding time is essential.

“I think it’s a really important period for the teams,” Carper said. “I know with basketball specifically it’s right before the season starts, so it kind of gets the season going, and it puts us on track to where we want to go. …all the bonding time and stuff like that, we really get to know one another, and it starts to develop trust that translates later during the season.”

Carper said the team benefits from the in-person interactions made possible by staying on campus during fall break.

“I think in that sense it’s pretty important… I just feel like if we were to go home, then while we still would remain in contact, it’s just not the same as that person-to-person interaction, so I feel like that’s important,” Carper said.

Another student-athlete whose break schedule is affected by sports is James Snyder, a junior on the men’s soccer team. Although Snyder, a criminal justice major, is not staying on campus for the entirety of the break, he will have to go to practices throughout the week. For Snyder, having to train during the break keeps the team from being too relaxed.

“We get most of the day off, and then we come back for training in the evening,” Snyder said. “It keeps you in the cycle. Even though you’re not [in Waynesburg] for school, you’re still there for soccer, and it keeps you from settling in, keeps you from losing your touch, and you just stay focused all season.”

Senior Zac Yonko is staying on campus, however, not because of a participation in sports. Yonko, an English literature major, had gone home during fall break his past three years on campus, but will be staying during his final one.

Yonko is staying this year due to his girlfriend being from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and also because he plans to work in admissions over break. Yonko said he will still feel at home on campus.

“It’s a time to just kind of relax,” Yonko said. “Either way, going home or staying on campus, I still feel like I’m at home. I like the opportunity to stay on campus, I enjoy that they give you the option to do that. It’s absolutely not an issue that they kind of have a quiet campus over the week.”

For Yonko, there is still plenty of ways to be occupied while being at school for break.

“I think that being on campus, especially being a senior, you really learn how to do campus life,” Yonko said. “Waynesburg’s [near] Morgantown, Washington and Pittsburgh, so it’s not too far off campus that you can go do things.”

To Carper, while not seeing his family for the week is challenging, being home for the break will increase his joy when he gets see them again.

“In my family situation, we still remain in contact, and we always have a group text going, and they’re sending me pictures and stuff,” Carper said. “So, while I’m not with them, I still kind of feel like I am. At times in the year, [not seeing family] does get tough, but it makes it that much better when I’m finally able to see them.”

For Carper, a challenge of being on-campus for break is the limited dining options.

“I think the worst part is probably just the food situation,” Carper said. “Just because when you’re home, you have the opportunity to go to restaurants you like or have a nice home cooked meal or something like that. But when you’re here at fall break, you only have the dining hall and the limited number of restaurants around Waynesburg. Sometimes that gets a little bit frustrating, but it’s not the end of the world I guess.”

Students who are staying on campus for sports, service projects, work, travel or any other reason can do so through filling out a form on myConnect.

Pioch said that being on campus without as many students has its pros and cons, depending on one’s preference.

“I definitely could see how someone would be bored if they’re not used to maybe spending some time alone and reflecting,” said Pioch. “But I could also see a lot of students really enjoying and embracing that time when there isn’t as much on their plate and they’re able to just relax and spend time with the other people that have decided to stay.”