When I was in college, my girlfriend bought me two aquatic frogs that I named Frodo and Samwise. I think she saw a gaping hole in my psyche brought on by a childhood devoid of pets, and she wanted to help. Although it was a thoughtful gift and I enjoyed the frogs, keeping them alive was a lot of work, and never more so than around the holidays. Successfully moving an aquarium home for five days, then back to the dorm for two weeks, then back home for four weeks, and then back to the dorm is no small feat.

But many college students face much greater problems than amphibicide when campuses force them to “go home” for the holidays. For some, their dorm room or apartment is home, and kicking them out—even temporarily—can be devastating. I can’t think of another circumstance where somebody rents a home for all but three days in November, a week in March, and a large chunk of winter. So, as students prep for finals in this narrow window between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we should consider ways to ease the burden on students who can’t simply leave when exams are over.

‍Read on for guidance on housing vulnerable students when campus is closed.