SMU Residential Commons: Campus homes for holidays, finals

SMU's Residential Commons, home to more than 2,000 students, faculty, and staff, created a community that embraced the holidays.

Holidays in the SMU Commons

By Nancy George
SMU News

DALLAS (SMU) – For college students, the holiday season is a time of contrasts as celebrations take place just before students fill the libraries preparing for finals.

In SMU's Residential Commons, home to more than 2,000 first-year and sophomore students, faculty, staff and student leaders help create a community that encourages students to embrace the holiday season and successfully prepare for finals.

Follow #HilltopHolidays on SMU Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the SMU website for regular updates on holiday activities and finals relief in SMU's Residential Commons. Read more. . .

Scenes from the Commons
Armstrong Commons
Holidays in Armstrong Commons 		Boaz Commons
Holidays in Boaz Commons
Crum Commons
Holidays in Crum Commons 		Loyd Commons
Holidays in Loyd Commons
Mary Hay - Peyton - Shuttles Commons
Holidays in Mary Hay - Peyton Commons 		McElvaney Commons
Holidays in McElvaney Commons
Kathy Crow Commons
Holidays in the Kathy Crow Commons 		Cockrell-McIntosh Commons
Holidays in the Cockrell-McIntosh Commons
Morrison - McGinnis Commons
Holidays in Morrison-McGinnis Commons 		Virginia - Snider Commons
Holidays in Virginia-Snider Commons
 Ware
Holidays in Ware Commons 		 

With the help of student leadership, each Commons celebrates the holidays as a community, with activities and events ranging from door-decorating contests, to attending a performance in Dallas' Arts District, to collecting toys for the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program.  Faculty members who live in the Commons open their kitchens for holiday baking and dress their pets in holiday wear for photos. Ugly sweater contests, international feasts, holiday movie marathons, cookie decorating and ornament-making are part of the celebrations, along with some unique events. Students in one Commons are decorating gingerbread houses, with a socioeconomic twist. Others are using SMU's Deason Innovation Design Gym to laser cut special decorations.

The holiday spirit extends to one of the most stressful times of university life – finals. Beginning with the first day of finals, Dec. 8, Commons leaders enforce 24-hour quiet hours and provide snacks for study breaks. Pancake-suppers, pet therapy with residence kittens and dogs, hot chocolate send-offs to exams and even massages are planned to help reduce finals stress.

SMU introduced the Residential Commons model in August 2014 to 11 residence halls, integrating the academic, residential and social aspects of university life. Live-in faculty and staff members, resident assistants and other student leaders work together to create communities of support.

For more information, visit http://www.smu.edu/ResidentialCommons

 

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