With a long weekend approaching, some students might plan to get away after their first two weeks of school-related stress.

Stress and long weekends are just a few reasons why, on some extended weekends, students leave in masses after Friday classes end.

Some students label the University as a “suitcase campus,” meaning a large amount of students head home for an entire weekend.

“I go home at least once a month for work,” said Kelsey Smith, a University sophomore. “It’s how I make money to pay for school.”

Some University employees disagree with the suitcase characterization, saying that campus events such as sporting events and University-sponsored activities in the surrounding area entice students to stay in the area year-round.

“We’re a residential campus,” said Timothy Shaal, senior associate director at the Office of Residence Life.

Shaal said there are almost 300 student-sponsored organizations on campus. Most groups offer activities on weekends, compelling students to stay.

Some popular events happening during a typical University winter weekend include swim meets and hockey games, according to the University’s Athletics schedules.

Plus, this weekend the University is hosting a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Service Challenge, an event where volunteers help a non-profit organization in the area.

“The campus does a good job of planning the weekends,” Shaal said. “I’m never worried about a mass exodus.”

Some students like to stay in their rooms during the weekend. But University resident advisers try to get everyone involved by creating new activities, such as game nights or study groups.

“We have a focus team working on fun academic opportunities on campus,” said Nicholas Doehr, administrative resident adviser at the Harshman Quadrangle.

It’s the job of the resident advisors to serve as positive role models. They are expected to create community development programs for the benefit of students, according to the resident advisor employment agreement found on the University’s website.

While some students leave campus every weekend, others can’t afford the commute home.

“Some people might stay on campus every weekend because the price of gas is so high,” said Lindsay Honigford, University freshman.

In addition to the large number of University-sponsored events every weekend, dozens of local businesses, including Ziggy Zoomba’s and Beckett’s, strive to attract student customers.

Bob Everhart, owner of Ziggy Zoomba’s on Wooster Street, is one of the business owners banking on the business of students who don’t pack up and head home every weekend.

“Students are most of my business. I love their business,” Everhart said.