<p>St. Olaf has the 4-1-4 Calendar. My D was looking at the actual calendar and noticed that St.O has a short, 2 week Christmas Break - then interim class - then another week off at the end of January before classes resume for Spring semester. Is that right?</p>
<p>What do OOS students do about staying on campus or going home during that second winter week off? Traveling is expensive. Do the off campus interim trips extend to cover that week?</p>
<p>I know a lot of the students at St. O are from MN and wouldn't expect this to be a problem for them as they could just go home easily, but it would be difficult if that would require expensive air travel.</p>
<p>There is also a short fall break and Thanksgiving break - but as those are shorter wouldn't expect it to be a problem. Assume OOS students just stay on campus during those breaks.</p>
<p>Any thoughts from OOS students on how the schedule works for you?</p>
<p>Thank you. I hope you really enjoy studying in the US. I bet you’ll make some friends at St Olaf from Minnesota who will invite you to their homes for some of these short breaks - or you can travel.</p>
<p>I’m from VA and I generally fly home for Thanksgiving, Christmas & Spring breaks, then stay on campus or go to friends’ houses for shorter breaks and the break after interim. Plenty of people stay during short breaks, including Thanksgiving. The break population on campus is the perfect amount to be able to avoid them if you want a break from people, or you can find new friends/make better friends of acquaintances. Last year my friends and I made a huge Easter feast in the dorm kitchen and got to know some new people, and this type of spontaneous food-bonding is normal over breaks in my experience. I really like the schedule because I’m fine being away from home for extended periods and I’m an introvert, so I love having the campus more deserted than normal for a few days.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing your experience. I can really picture it now. My D is thinking she would miss her friends from home in having a shorter winter break, but I’m sure after a year or two she’d make enough friends there that it wouldn’t be much of an issue.</p>
<p>My daughter is from NY, and this year she came home for the week after interim. It was a little tough, because she missed spending 4 extra weeks with her home-town friends, and when she came back for a week after interim, they had all left again for college. It worked out, though, because she was ready to get back to college!</p>
<p>My daughter stayed for the shorter breaks, but she knows many OOS students who went home. Some OOS students also visit their roommates or other relatives close by, go camping (if the weather is good), or take other short trips in the area.</p>
<p>I don’t think the interim trips abroad officially make use of that extra week, but I believe that lots of students extend their stay on their own. They would be responsible for their own expenses during that week, but since the airfare is already taken care of (and since you are already halfway around the world!) it’s a perfect time to travel.</p>
<p>Since some current Ole parents are commenting here - how does financial aid deal with off campus interim? Is your aid increased based on your choice, or are those costs expected to be completely out of pocket? Do freshmen always do on campus interim? Can you take 2 classes during freshman on campus r do you just take one? thx!</p>