Break housing gives students holiday home

Texas A&M University-Commerce offers on-campus housing for students who wish to stay at the university over winter break. There are eight residence halls students reside in at A&M-Commerce; however, not all eight halls are open during winter break.

If students would like to stay on campus during winter break, and their current hall assignment closes during the break, then they have the option to stay in New Pride, Prairie Crossing or West Halls.

"Students wishing to stay on campus have to apply for a room at the Department of Residential Living and Learning located on the first floor of the Haliday Student Services Building," Residential Advisor of Whitley Hall, Alex Gardner said. "There is an $85 fee for break housing, and students who do wish to live in break housing must have a roommate."

When it comes to students storing their belongings over winter break, they have several different options to choose from.

"Students can store all of their belongings in their regular housing during the break and just take what they need to their break housing, or they can take their belongings home," Gardner said. "They also have the option of moving all of their belongings to break housing and then moving it back to their regular residence hall when break housing is over."

Although break housing is an option for most students, not all students have the ability to reside in break housing and or have the luxury of residing in halls that remain open during winter break. Many students are hassled, especially students who work on campus or in Commerce, when they have to move out of their residence hall for a month.

"I live in one of the sorority houses, and it's a huge inconvenience to me when it closes over winter break," health education major, Amanda McGill said. "I work on campus, but I live two hours away. So I can't work over breaks. I realize I could live in selected campus housing for a month, but why would I pay for more campus housing when I am already paying to live on campus?"

Students are hoping to see an increase in the amount of campus housing open during winter break.

"I live in New Pride, and it's so convenient for me not have to move half of my room home during winter break," environmental science major, Julie Gorka said. "I think it's a little ridiculous that students pay for nine months of housing but have to move out during winter break, unless they're lucky enough to live in New Pride, Prairie Crossing or West Halls, and they don't have any access to their residence hall until they move back in for the spring semester."

For more information on break housing, contact A&M-Commerce Department of Residential Living and Learning at residencelife@tamu-commerce.edu or 903-886-5797.