Ohio University’s 2026 fall break isplace Oct. 2, and some students plan to use the long weekend to visit their hometowns. Others plan to stay on campus or use the time as an opportunity to work.
Audrey Fouss, a sophomore studying forensic chemistry, said she is staying in Athens.
“I work at Bird Ice Arena,“ Fouss said. "We have multiple big hockey games going on, so I'm just staying here, working those and hanging out with some of my friends."
Fouss said she and her friends might have a movie night to relax from a stressful schedule.
“We don't get very often to hang out with each other, have that night together, so it's a good chance to just hang out,” Fouss said. “In a harder STEM major, it’s a good break, a good three-day weekend.”
Hannah Kempton, a sophomore studying social work, said she is traveling home and leaving campus Thursday night.
“I'm going to hang out with my little brother and my puppy, Winston,“ Kempton said. "We may go out and do some little fall activities with my family. I feel like we all just need that break from school, and I love seeing my family.”
Cameron Konrad, a sophomore studying integrated language arts education, is also staying on campus to work.
“I'm a tour guide on campus, so I'm working one of our big discovery days,” Konrad said.
Konrad said there are extra shifts to be picked up during fall break, and she enjoys working discovery days.
“There's a lot of new high school students coming in,” Konrad said. “They're doing a full-day event, like an 8 (a.m.) to 5 (p.m.) tour day, and it's just really fun to be a part of. I got scheduled for those shifts, and I didn’t really bother trying to give them up.”
Zoe Eickmeier, an undecided freshman, is on campus for the break. Eickmeier said they were confused by the length of fall break and wished the university offered more time off.
“I think it's interesting that the fall break here is one day, as opposed to, I'm used to a week,“ Eickmeier said. "I don’t know what that’s about."
Vanessa Betz, a sophomore studying business analytics and marketing, is going home to Columbus to see family and celebrate her brother’s birthday.
“I haven't seen my family in like four weeks, which is kind of long for me,” Betz said. “It's really important to me that I get that time to go home and spend it with my family after I've just been here working for a good few weeks.”
Unlike some of the university’s other holiday breaks that cause a shortening of students' weekly meal plans, fall break does affect the dining halls. Students who are staying in Athens during the break are able to use all of their swipes.
Though meal plans will not be impacted, there will be other changes in campus dining. Earls Coop and Shively Commons on East Green are closed Thursday and Friday of this week.
On Friday, both Nelson Court and The District on West Green are not serving breakfast. The District is opening at 10:30 a.m., and Nelson Court at 11 a.m.
Both campus food trucks, The Hungry Cat and Brick City Deli On The Go, are also closed on Friday. Latitude 39 is not open on Saturday and Sunday. The Front Room is remaining open, but closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, instead of its usual closing at 8 p.m.
West 82 Food Court will be open on Friday during regular hours, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Whether they plan to travel or stay in Athens, many students are excited about having an extra day off from schoolwork.
