<p>My son will stay on campus Columbus Day weekend, and my daughter will visit him. I was wondering how "dead" the campus will be.</p>
<p>Also starting to do airline tickets for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My son thinks he can get out of his honors seminar Monday night (the best flights I can find - he has no Tues class that week)... but I don't want to get him in trouble. How understanding are the teachers about early departure?</p>
<p>it all depends on the professor. my honors classes tend to be more lenient when it comes to absences. just have him ask the professor ahead of time.</p>
<p>Honors seminars might be very strict! He absolutely has to ask the professor as soon as possible. Seminars that are monday night are usually 5:30 to 8 and only meet once a week, so skipping it is a big deal.</p>
<p>Plus many many professors clearly say either on the syllabus or in class “a plane ticket does not count as an excused absence” and warn against scheduling travel plans because of that. I had a professor my first year who gave an exam on that tuesday and a quiz on the monday after and said that since travel plans should be made during break times only, no makeups would be allowed for the two tests.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback. We have trouble catching up with our son, and he has trouble catching up with his professors. And I’m not sure I have the variables right. We opted to go with Tues airline tickets. Flights are starting to book up.</p>
<p>I’m assuming his “honors seminar” is actually Enhancing Honors since he’s a freshman (right?) which isn’t the upperclass honors seminar the others are referring to. Enhancing Honors is only an hour. It alternates weeks being in a big lecture hall with half the honors progam and being in small groups with upperclass honors mentors. I don’t think it’d be a big deal to miss one Enhancing Honors at all.</p>
<p>My first small breakout session for Enhancing Honors last week, two people didn’t show up</p>
<p>Oh, for enhancing honors it’s different (you are right, I figured it was the seminar). While these are only once a week as well, so technically you really should go, it’s more lenient. I realize you already bought the tickets or at least made a decision, but just for future knowledge your son does have to go to every enhancing honors class UNLESS he contacts prof kelleher (the honors director) and gives a good reason. She is a very nice lady though so I’m sure she’d accept financial hardship, which I know from experience thanksgiving tickets can do to you, as a reason. </p>
<p>For the kid above who said two people didn’t show up- I warn you against following their example. I’m an honors mentor (the TAs for your class) and we have to report every single absence, missing assignment, challenging student during a breakout, tardiness, everything. They are much more strict this year than they have been in the past (so don’t listen to upperclassmen who tell you otherwise). We were told that even one absence without contacting kelleher beforehand will result in having to go meet with her in person and explaining why, and possibly getting lectured for a bit. Ditching an easy class for an hour isn’t worth the embarassment of having the head of the honors program lecture you about it.</p>
<p>Also she has a really good memory, and the honors program has really good perks, if you aren’t on their bad side.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the info. To be safe, we purchased tickets after all classes Done.</p>
<p>Back to the Columbus Day question… do most students go home? Will there be anything itnteresting to do around campus or Boston?</p>
<p>A lot of people go home, especially freshman year, but there will still be people around and things going on. It isn’t totally dead, but it is quieter, the dining halls aren’t wild and crowded, parties are more low-key, gym and library pretty empty. I always sort of enjoy the weekend off, actually.</p>
<p>Thanks Emily. I’m actually glad to hear that the dining halls are open.</p>
<p>Oh yeah definitely, everything stays open. During certain times one or two will close (summer) or the gym’s hours will decrease a little (holidays and intercessions), but it’s only because less people are there. Northeastern doesn’t close down at all during breaks, which I know a few schools do, because there are so many co-op students that need the campus’s resources and can’t go home because of work.</p>