Mississippi State University is on spring break this week, with most of its 21,000-plus students spending their time off away from campus and away from Starkville.
However, a handful of students have elected to stay behind for the week citing many reasons. Work or other obligations kept some on campus, while distance was a factor for others.The SDN caught up with some students to see what kept them in the vicinity.
A Starkville native, freshman biological sciences major D.C. Conrod, said he was staying with his family in town, and had come to campus to purchase food with his meal plan. He said he was spending most of the break in town with his fiancé.
“I live here in Starkville,” Conrod said. “I come on (campus) to use my block plan.
However, Conrod said he planned to travel to Miami Beach later in the week.
Mitchell Storm, a sophomore business major from Madison, said he was staying behind as a member of the MSU Bulldogs Basketball Team.
“We have practice and stuff over the break,” Storm said. “We had practice yesterday, practice today and then we play at home tomorrow night.”
Storm said he missed being able to go home for spring break, but looked forward to Wednesday night’s game against Nebraska. Despite his commitment to basketball, Storm was able to spend some time away from the court this past weekend.
“I went to visit some friends,” Storm said. “Actually, this past weekend we had some off days, and depending on when our next game will be, I may be able to go home for a day or two.”
Jacob Burger, a sophomore business economics and political science double major from West Palm Beach, Florida, cited a need to work and make money as the primary reason he stayed in Starkville.
“I need to make some money at work and help pay tuition at school,” Burger said.
Burger said he had not been able to make it home in a long time, but appreciated the break from class.
“School’s been kind of busy lately,” Burger said.
Freshman animal and dairy science major Katie Beninati, who was sitting with Burger in the Colvard Student Union, said she had been able to make it back to her native Memphis for a few days, but also had to work. She said she worked on a farm in Columbus.
“I muck out the stalls and I feed horses,” Beninati said. “I have to go there twice a day.” Classes will resume at MSU on Monday, March 19.