While most students spend their Thanksgiving holiday away from
UCLA with their friends and family in the comfort of their own
homes, a select few stay behind to provide services for the
students who remain on campus for various personal reasons.
Though the Office of Residential Life will not be hosting any
events during the Thanksgiving holiday, the resident assistants
that stay behind during the breaks often organize activities for
the few students who also occupy the seemingly uninhabited
dormitories.
Michael White, an RA for Hedrick 7 North, is one of the few who
will voluntarily remain on duty during Thanksgiving break.
“For the most part, after college I’m going to be
moving quite far from home and it’s giving me good experience
for what it’s like to be away from family during the
holidays,” he said.
Many RAs have planned activities for their residents, such as a
formal dinner on the night of Thanksgiving or a shopping trip on
the Friday after Thanksgiving, when major sales are in effect at
many stores.
White is one of the RAs who hopes to go shopping on Friday.
“My floor is doing a Christmas gift exchange program and I
hope to go shopping on Black Friday to find gifts for my family and
my floormates,” he said.
There are also a few advantages for those students who stay
behind during the break that result from the reduced student
population in residential housing.
“(Residents can) go to the lounge and watch the big screen
TVs, something that is normally difficult to do in the high
rises,” White said.
Other students who remain on campus during the break are those
who are required to work at the front desks or the mailrooms in the
residential halls.
When applying for a job, applicants must sign a contract that
states they are expected to work a certain number of hours during
holidays, which includes Thanksgiving, winter break and spring
break. Though this provides for some flexibility, many students who
must fulfill these responsibilities would rather be at home during
these times with family and friends.
“From our perspective, it’s unfair because people
want to go out during winter and especially spring break, but from
a professional standpoint, we signed a contract. The schedule is
not too difficult to adjust to,” said Jen Yoon, a supervisor
for Hedrick Hall, Hedrick Summit and Hitch Suites, who has
previously worked during the holiday season.
Though campus services are reduced during periods when the
majority of students are not at UCLA, ORL has made arrangements to
provide for those students who stay behind.
The RAs who voluntarily remain behind during periods of vacation
earn an extra stipend.
Also, one resident director always remains on campus, as one
full-time professional staff member must be on call at all
times.
Even so, the empty campus could potentially lead to safety
concerns for residents. Rick Wan, assistant director of ORL, said
safety should not be a concern.
“The staffing is a little less than usual, but we still
have (Community Service Officers) and the UCPD as present on our
campus as any other time of the year,” he said.
Students who remain atop the Hill during Thanksgiving break must
also find alternate means to satisfy their hunger, as the dining
halls will not be open during the break.
This evening, De Neve and Bruin Cafe will be open until 8 p.m.
and all dining halls will open again for dinner at 5 p.m. on
Sunday.