By Daylen Bushman
Thousands of people flock to Provo each summer for EFY, CES conferences, graduations, weddings, baby blessings, sports camps and family vacations.
Off-campus student housing is quickly becoming a top vacation spot for these parents and siblings. They travel from out of town for a visit with their family, for days or weeks.
More than half of the student body at BYU leaves this quiet college town, giving way for thousands of moms, dads and siblings who come for the cool mountain air, the different events on or around campus or just a nice visit with their married family members. This influx of family members often causes already minimal space in homes and apartments to almost disappear.
Audra Felt, whose husband graduated in April, enjoys having her family visit.
“I have had eleven bodies in my two bedroom apartment at one time,” Felt said. “We have a big living room that fits an air mattress. The air mattress is a necessity if your friends or family come to stay.”
She also said there is no inconvenience to have visitors stay in her house, and that her family would gladly stay in a motel if they thought that they were making her life difficult. Felt also thinks that there is no obligation for her to show her visitors around town.
Maleen Cazier, whose husband also graduated in April, enjoys having her family in town as well, but says it is important for both families to have the same understanding about the stay.
“If one family or the other doesn”t like the situation, it makes it uncomfortable for everyone,” Cazier said.
Cazier is willing to share the space in her one bedroom apartment, but also said sometimes it is better for the family to spend a few nights in a motel.
Dionna Danae, a 13-year-old from Texas, recently spent three weeks in Provo with her brother and his family. Sleeping on the futon in the family room and not having to do any chores were the highlights of her week.
“I watched a lot of their movies that I hadn”t seen before, and it was fun to play with my nephew every day too,” Danae said.
The hot summer days kept her inside most of the time, but she kept herself busy with movies and scrap booking.
“I loved visiting,” Danae said. “It was fun to see everyone and to spend time with my family.”
