<p>When do students usually leave campus after finals? Do they high-tail it out of there as soon as possible or might they stay a day or two to relax with friends? I see finals are over Dec 17, but the dorms don’t close until Monday, Dec 20. Or does the university ask them to leave at a certain time? I’ve seem some colleges that ask you to leave after your last final or the next day.</p>
<p>Similarly when do student return to campus? The day before class starts? When do the dorms even open?</p>
<p>Since I’m asking all the transportation questions, how about Thanksgiving. I see classes end at noon on Wednesday. Do students usually leave that afternoon?</p>
<p>Students may stay until the day the dorms close. This fall, I left as soon as my exams ended. This spring, I stayed until 2 hours before the dorms closed, even though I had finished exams a week earlier. Most students fall in the middle; some will want to leave as soon s possible, but many will want to stay with their friends an extra few days (and enjoy the food that they’ve already paid for).</p>
<p>In the fall, the dorms open for returning students the Sunday before classes begin. Most students don’t come back until a day or two before classes begin. The same is true of the spring (though I forget the exact day the dorms reopen).</p>
<p>If students leave (and that’s a big if, since some stay at school), they may leave Wednesday afternoon. Quite a few will skip morning classes Wednesday, particularly those that are larger, and leave Tuesday night.</p>
<p>I’m sure others can give their own perspective as well - as I am from 2 hours away, I could just hop on the train to go home with little planning if I wanted, so I haven’t really thought about this too much.</p>
<p>My perspective as a parent: I agree with Uroogla that it varies student by student – my daughter likes to stay as long as possible after her last exam, but some kids bolt out ASAP. A lot depends on where you live and what you need to do to get home – hopping onto Amtrak is easy, but if your parents are picking you up then it may depend on when they can easily come and get you. </p>
<p>Spring semester at Brown ends later than most colleges, so some kids want to get home to start jobs or see old high school friends. Others don’t leave until Commencement, and hang out for a full week after the last day of exams. (Not an easy task, since they have to find a place to live unless they are working Commencement/Reunion.)</p>
<p>Spring semester classes begin on a Wednesday; some students move in the Saturday or Sunday before.</p>
<p>As for Thanksgiving – some students decide to go home the Friday before, and others leave on Monday or Tuesday. I think a few profs cancel classes that week. If you do need to travel on that Wednesday, it can be a nightmare – because everyone seems to travel on that day.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone. My son seems to think he’ll want to hang around for awhile after finals; I just didn’t know if anyone else would have the same idea.</p>