While the majority of Bowdoin students were still enjoying the comfort of home-cooked meals, their own beds, and more often than not, less frigid temperatures than those which they had left back in Brunswick, a number of students were already back on campus for a variety of purposes.
Most winter athletic teams returned to Bowdoin for a short stint between Christmas and New Year's Day, and then again to stay shortly after the first of January, in order to maintain their practice and game schedule during their sports seasons.
While athletes were the most predominant demographic on campus during Winter Break, other students, including theater set designers, Wilderness First Response trainees, those conducting independent research, and those employed in admissions and other administrative offices remained on campus as well, without receiving access to the dining hall.
However, non-athletes found more creative ways to keep themselves nourished.
"We ate at the OLC every meal, and it was great, all organic food," said Oliver Cunningham '08, a member of the January WFR class.
Student set builder Caitlin Edwards '08, who returned to campus one week early to prepare for Masque & Gown's performance of Five Flights, was not so fortunate with her food options while on campus over Break.
"People working on the build weren't allowed to eat at Moulton, the open dining hall. We were completely on our own in terms of food," Edwards said. "I lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, carrot sticks, and cheese for about five days."
To pay for the cost of operating Moulton during Break, "the Athletic Department provides a modest per diem food allowance to each student-athlete for the time they're here," said Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley.
"[Other] students move to apartments and houses where they have access to kitchens since the dining hall is not open," said Bradley.
Schedules for those remaining on campus were grueling at best, according to many students. Members of the men's hockey team, for example, found themselves with little to no free time while back at school.
"We practiced every day except on Sundays and weight-lifted twice a week," said Sebastien Belanger '08. "We spent half of the four weekends on the road."
Other student groups found their winter breaks spent on campus to be equally demanding.
"Our hours on the build were 1:30 p.m. to about 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. when we'd break for dinner, and then come back an hour later and work until 11:00 p.m.," said Edwards.
According to Cunningham, WFR class often went for 12 hours a day, with at least an hour of additional homework to complete before returning to class at 7:00 a.m. the next morning.
Despite the busy schedules, students on campus managed to find time for socialization, though almost exclusively with members from their own team or campus activity.
"I only hung out with my teammates during break," said Belanger. "I spent one night with a few girls on the hockey team at the community dinner with the Friends of Bowdoin and saw other athletic teams during mealtime at Moulton, but didn't hang out with them because our schedules didn't permit it. As far as I know, no parties were held on campus, except within the teams."
While the social scene may have calmed over Winter Break, Security was still very active in maintaining campus safety.
"We do not reduce the number of full-time officers assigned to campus patrol duties," said Director of Safety and Security Bruce Boucher.
"We still conduct regular patrol functions and do intervene when necessary concerning unregistered events, medical transports, unlocks, etc., but on a much lesser scale than during the academic year. During break, our focus is primarily toward the protection and security of buildings and property on campus," Boucher said.
If any disciplinary problems rose over January, the administration, which is on campus year-round, was available.
"The Student Affairs Office handles misconduct cases as they arrive over break, as we do over the summer."