Dayton athletes are dedicated beyond anything the typical student can understand.

When finals week is over, the rest of the school goes home to recharge for the spring semester, but the athletes involved in winter sports (men's basketball and women's basketball and indoor track) hardly get a break.

They have to stick around campus for almost the entirety of break because there are practices and games to worry about. That can be difficult.

"It's different," junior guard Patrice Lalor said. "There's really no one around. We're pretty much just hanging out with ourselves. It's different, but you get used to it after a year or two."

Continuing to practice and go on the road for games is tough, but junior Kristin Daugherty says one of the worst parts of staying in town is how empty the campus gets over break.

"It's very dead," Daugherty said. "We walk down to Brown Street and there's nobody there. I think us and the men's team are probably the only living individuals on campus, but we keep ourselves entertained."

Without classes to take up any amount of time, the players often have more free time than they know how to fill. Lalor says she is okay with being bored if it means she has no classes, though.

"It's definitely really boring, but it's probably worth it," she said. "I'd rather just sit around and watch TV or hang out than do homework."

Still, the women's team has found some ways to pass the time on campus and off. They like to watch movies and can get some Christmas shopping done by going to a mall.

"We find things to do," Lalor said. "Last year we sat around for probably like four hours just listening to old school music and singing and dancing and playing Rock Band. We find ways to entertain ourselves."

Daugherty said this year the team is planning on learning the dance to "Thriller" during their spare time.

While they don't get the break the rest of the school enjoys, the athletes do get to go home for a bit. The women's basketball team will go home after their game against Butler on Dec. 21, and they will come back by the evening of Dec. 26. This actual break is the best part for the athletes.

"It definitely is [a highlight of break], especially since we don't have that much time during the entire year to go home," Lalor said. "When we can go home, especially during Christmas break, it's great. Everyone can't wait; everyone enjoys it a lot."

After they come back on the 26th, there is still some time left for the team to kill. The ring in the New Year together, and while the squad doesn't party quite as hard as some other students do because they are in season, they still have fun.

"We usually hang out with each other on New Year's," Daugherty said. "We don't really do anything too exciting. We just hang out and watch the ball drop."

The key for the team in surviving boredom during a break with no classes, few people to hang out with and very little to do is being close with each other and enjoying their time together.

"We're like family; we like spending time with each other," Daugherty said.