After a six-week Winter Recess, university housing re-opened for all undergraduates on Jan. 24 and the spring semester commenced on Jan. 26. (Photos by Olivia Drake)On Jan. 26, students flocked to Usdan University Center to dine and mingle with friends.
Jamaica native Nicholas Evans ’18 spent his break in Stratford, Conn., where his parents now reside. “I really enjoyed spending time with [my parents], but I missed the constant interaction with people here at Wesleyan. It’s interesting to go from almost complete isolation to having everybody everywhere,” he said. Nicholas, who is majoring in mathematics, and was already solving equations in the Science Library on his first day back, said he hoped to work on homework while he was away on break, but not everything went according to plan. “I’m an avid reader and I love to borrow four or five books and just read,” he said. “But math. Somehow math homework never came up.”
Vanessa Tostado ’19, pictured in Olin Library, spent her Winter Recess near San Francisco, Calif. where she helped babysit her five younger siblings. “Yes, my parents were happy to have me home,” she said, “but I lose a lot of freedom at home, and I missed having a routine. I’m a structured person, so it’s good to be back at Wesleyan where I can get back to a normal schedule. I also missed the gym!”Ari Liu ’20 and Yuan Wang ’20 spent their Winter Recess in southern China, but were eager to return to campus. “It’s a totally different world here,” Ari said, while sipping a coffee at Pi Cafe. “I missed my friends, professors, and the music studios where I can practice the piano. I didn’t miss the American food that much, but I did miss the burritos at Summerfields. We can’t get those in China.”From left, classmates Ali Friend ’19, Alexis Jimenez ’19Teresa Naval ’19, and Daniel Shaheen ’19 gathered in Exley Science Center over lunch. Ali, who visited family in Toronto, Canada over Winter Recess, says she missed the Wesleyan squirrels. “In Canada, the squirrels are black and twice as big as the gray squirrels. They are friendly, too, but not nearly as cute as Wes squirrels,” she said.Long Bui, visiting assistant professor of American studies, teaches his AMST 220 Asian Americans and Pop Culture class on Jan. 27 in Fisk Hall, the first class of the Spring Semester. Throughout the semester, students will explore the history and experiences of Asian Americans through the site of popular culture, which includes films, comics, television, music and digital culture.Erica Yim ’19 of Baltimore, M.D. and and Allegra Fils-Aime ’19 of Long Island, N.Y. were most elated to return to Wesleyan to see each other and other friends. “We are roommates in Butts C, and we missed each other. We’re glad to be back at Wes,” Allegra said.Students gather for lunch at Usdan University Center.
Olivia Drake
![Jamaica native Nicholas Evans ’18 spent his winter recess in Stratford, Conn., where his parents now reside. “I really enjoyed spending time with [my parents], but I missed the constant interaction with people here at Wesleyan. It’s interesting to go from almost complete isolation to having everybody everywhere,” he said. Nicholas, who is majoring in mathematics, and was already solving equations in the Science Library on his first day back, said he hoped to work on homework while he was away on break, but not everything went according to plan. “I’m an avid reader and I love to borrow four or five books and just read,” he said. “But math. Somehow math homework never came up.”](https://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/files/2017/01/stu_hao_2017-0126130019.jpg)
Mike Mavredakis
Jeff Harder