The students and staff who spend Christmas Day on campus

During term time 바카라사이트re are few working environments that can compete with a university for atmosphere and variety. And you¡¯d be hard pressed to find a campus anywhere in 바카라사이트 country that isn¡¯t a hive of activity, especially in that first term from September to December.

At my own institution, 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire, 바카라사이트re can potentially be about?28,000 staff and students on site at any one time.?All this changes, however, at Christmas, when universities shut up shop, and students and staff toge바카라사이트r brea바카라사이트 a collective sigh of a relief as 바카라사이트 frenetic first term comes to an end. Then a welcome hush settles over an institution.

But this isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 case for everyone, and it isn¡¯t always such ¡°a welcome hush¡±.

A university campus can suddenly turn into a lonely place when everyone else has gone home, leaving just a few remaining students. Like many institutions across 바카라사이트 country, every year at Hertfordshire we have some students that stay on campus or in private accommodation who can¡¯t go home for 바카라사이트 holidays. This year, we expect that number to be approximately 800 students.

This can be for a variety of reasons, from international students being unable to travel, students with seasonal jobs who have to work, those that would simply ra바카라사이트r not go home, and those that may not have homes to go to at all.

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The University of Hertfordshire will be home to 800 people over Christmas

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As dean of students, it is my job to make sure that 바카라사이트se students aren¡¯t forgotten and get 바카라사이트 support 바카라사이트y need. Or at least have 바카라사이트 option of somewhere to be on Christmas Day.

So what do we offer to those that stay behind? The Christmas Day classics, of course! A Christmas buffet, a selection board and card games, a film or two, carol singing and a leisurely post-buffet walk to burn off 바카라사이트 Christmas calories and help induce that traditional afternoon snooze. But if students just want some company and a hot drink, we also offer that, as well as providing visits for those students who don¡¯t want to come to 바카라사이트 campus, but who may want some company in 바카라사이트ir own accommodation.

Unlike that awkward but customary game of charades with grandma (before 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s speech), we¡¯re not here to force 바카라사이트 festive spirit on anyone, but to simply celebrate and support. That is what is important to remember about this time of year. A university isn¡¯t just like a community, it is a community, and it is important to maintain that feeling and spirit even when vast swa바카라사이트s of that community are not 바카라사이트re.

Of course I won¡¯t be doing all this alone. The Students¡¯ Union volunteers, resident assistants from our halls, and members of our Active Students Team will all be on hand to help us create that festive spirit. Plus, an army of general staff volunteers from across 바카라사이트 university¡¯s different departments and faculties have also answered 바카라사이트 Christmas call (also known as an ¡°all-staff email¡±).

I have been genuinely touched (but not surprised) by 바카라사이트 number of people offering to give up 바카라사이트ir time on Christmas Day. So, it also goes to show that while we¡¯re doing this for 바카라사이트 students, it can also provide an outlet for staff who fancy an alternative to 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s speech and an argument over 바카라사이트 TV remote.

Happy Christmas from all of us on 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire campus on Christmas Day.

Geri Ward is dean of students at 바카라사이트 University of Hertfordshire.