<p>Hi everyone!</p>
<p>I am an international student from Albania and I have applied to Lafayette College. </p>
<p>If it is possible can anyone explain me what international students do during summer months? </p>
<p>I mean do they stay in campus or fly back home? </p>
<p>If they stay on campus do they have to pay additional money, or the summer period is included in the total cost?</p>
<p>What about Christmas Break and other one or two week holidays? Do students stay on campus and pay????</p>
<p>Please give me as much info as possible</p>
<p>Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>During summer months, it depends. Some students go home. Some students stay on campus and work on things like excel or other research or work on on campus jobs. Some students apply for internships. Some students visit and live with family. It all depends on your personal and/or financial choices.</p>
<p>For any students staying over summer (not just international), you have to pay more money for staying on campus. For summer, staying costs are calculated on a per-week basis (the number of weeks you will be spending on campus) and you will have to move out of the residence hall you were in for the previous year and into a new residence hall since they try to keep all summer residents into 3 or 4 halls on campus for convenience. The same goes for staying over winter break. Typically, there are alot of kids (international and non-international) who stay behind for winter and summer breaks for things like research or internships so you will not be the only one around. One of the drawbacks is that dining services is closed during winter and summer break so no meal plans. At most, there is one on campus cafe open with reduced hours but most students choose to cook.</p>
<p>Besides summer and winter, we have a 4 day Fall break in October, a week long break for thanksgiving in November and a 10 day Spring break in March. For these breaks, you do not have to pay extra to live on campus and you can spend them in your semester residence halls. And as above, what you choose to do depends on your preference…some students stay on campus, some choose to travel with other students, some visit family and friends around the US. For the shorter breaks, it is very common for intl. students to travel with their other friends or travel to meet old friends from back home.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>thanx very much for all the info!</p>
<p>hi, everyone!
I am from Brazil and I was accepted for the class of 2015! 
I want to know current Lafayette Students opinion on meal plans.
As stated at the website ([Dining</a> Services: Meal Plans](<a href=“http://dining.lafayette.edu/dining-policies/meal-plans]Dining”>http://dining.lafayette.edu/dining-policies/meal-plans)), all meal plans cost the same. So, why not choose Carte Blanche Meal Plan? (Where you can eat everything you want!) I am just curious because I have read Justin’s Threads and I remember him saying to not pick this one. Why would it be the reason?
Also, what is the difference between the 20 meal plan and 210 block plan? (Besides its obvious flexibility…)
Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>This might be a little confusing so if you dont get it, lemme know and Ill try to explain it again.</p>
<p>The 20 meal plan gives you 20 meals that you can use throughout the week at specified meal times only. The way the dining halls work is that breakfast meal is from 7.00 - 10.30 am, lunch from 10.30 - 4.30 and dinner from 4.30 - closing. With a 20 meal plan, you can only use one meal in one specific meal period and there are 20 meal period in a week here (3 a day and sundays is only brunch + dinner). Your 20 meals are only valid for that one week and they do not carry forward to the next week if they are unused.
The 210 block plan gives you 210 meals to use throughout the semester. So you can use those block meals at any time during the week and any week you want over the semester - so you could go to the dining hall 20 times in one week and only 10 times the next if you wanted to and all your unused meals would carry over.</p>
<p>So yea, the only difference between 20 meal/week and the block plan is just flexibility. In my experience, most people prefer the block plan rather than a fixed meal plan.</p>
<p>And I would also strongly recommend not taking the Carte Blanche plan because of 2 reasons. Firstly, you will not be eating so much over the semester that you need unlimited access to the dining halls. You’re never going to have more than 2 - 3 meals a day. Secondly, the Carte Blanche plan does not give you any meal equivalency so you cannot use your meals in Lower or Gilberts or Simons. And trust me, you will want the option for equivalency. Especially because you are not going to go into the dining halls to grab a cookie or a drink if you’re hungry and want a quick snack. It’s too impractical.</p>
<p>Thank you for your reply, ryanshroff!</p>
<p>Meal equivalency is when you exchange your meal for food at those places, am i right?</p>
<p>So, I think I will have to choose between 210 block plan and the traditional one, then. The 210 block is quite appealing because of its flexibility! But I am afraid I will not have enough meals during the semester. (I am a person who usually eat 3 times a day or at least two). What do people say about 210 meals in a semester? Is it enough?</p>
<p>And how much food is there in a meal? I was looking into Upper Farinon Menu(I suppose this is one of the places where I may eat) and I notice they offermany options. Does it mean I have to choose one entry, one vegetable, one soup and so on?</p>
<p>I know I should not care so much about food, but I can’t help it! :p</p>
<p>Meal Equivalency is where you exchange your meal for food at either Lower farinon, Gilberts or Simons. Each meal is equated with a specific dollar amount (right now it’s $5.50) so you can buy any amount of food from these places worth 5.50 using your meal and if you have more than that amount, you can pay for the extra using flex, cash or a debit / credit card.</p>
<p>If you do the math, the 210 block plan roughly translates to 14 meals a week. That should be sufficient and you can pick up cheap breakfast foods from the supermarket and eat breakfast in your room. So yea, a block plan should be enough as a first year.</p>
<p>The 2 main dining halls are buffet style. You will have all the options (many different entrees, soup and salad, vegetarian and vegan options, sandwiches, pasta and pizza, etc) and you can choose whatever you want.
For Lower, Simons and Gilberts, you pay based on what you order. So at simons, you pay for each sandwich you order. So you can order depending on how hungry you are.</p>
<p>Thank you for your help, ryanshroff!
I think I will choose 210 block plan. But can you tell me when next semester will star and end? I am willing do the math! :3</p>
<p>I don’t remember the exact dates but if you go onto the the Lafayette homepage and search for Academic Calendar, you will find that info. Meals begin the first day of classes and end when your last final is done. Also, there are no meals available during fall break, thanksgiving and spring break.</p>