December 21, 2025 – January 11, 2026

Our residence halls remain open during the winter break, and residents continuing to live with us in Spring 2026 do not need to move out of their rooms. You’ll need to prepare for winter break, rather you stay during the break or leave for vacation.

Step 1: Winter Break Plans (COMPLETE BY DECEMBER 15)

While the halls will remain open during winter break, it is helpful to know if you are planning to leave or remain on campus during this time. SHS uses this information in order to adjust services with an anticipated lower level of occupancy. Additionally, in the event of an emergency on campus during the break, it is helpful for us to know who is staying. 

All residents need to complete the Winter Break Plan Form no later than Monday, December 15, 2025. This includes residents who have already left for winter break, as well as residents who are planning to cancel their housing contracts at the end of the fall semester.

Step 2: Go to the Section You Need

• Section A: Not Returning to Housing in Spring 2026 Semester?
• Section B: Only leaving for Winter Break
• Section C: Remaining for Winter Break?

Section A: Not Returning to Housing in Spring 2026 Semester?

A. Not Returning to Housing for Spring Semester (Moving out)?

The last day to checkout at the end of fall 2025 semester is Saturday, December 20, 2025, by 12:00pm, or 24-hours after your last final. If you are canceling your spring portion of your contract, you will not be permitted to stay beyond this date.

1. Students cancelling their contract from November 1, 2025, to December 7, 2025, will need to fill out the cancellation notice form (https://forms.gle/mujKUVnKECxgoSwj8).
2. You will need to sign up for a check-out appointment. End of fall check-out appointments will be available from December 8 to December 20, 2025. You may sign up for an appointment here.
3. All early contract terminations are subject to early termination penalties unless you are not registered for the Spring 2026 semester at any UH system campuses located on Oʻahu. You may review your housing contract for additional breakage fee information.
   1. Please note that the student account system will be temporarily unavailable from mid-December to early January due to a scheduled system upgrade.  Housing financial adjustments from contract terminations will be delayed and will not be reflected on your account during this period. 
4. If you would like to appeal your early termination penalties, you may do so by filling out an appeal form which can be found on our housing website, https://manoa.hawaii.edu/housing/appeals-process/.  Please note that appeal forms should be submitted once your housing charges have been adjusted on your MyUH account.
5. Request a Checkout Extension to move out and checkout on Sunday, December 21, 2025: https://forms.gle/6XsS5noRxrwr8fiN8 (read form instructions)

Review the Move-In & Move-Out page for further information on preparing for moveout and checkout.

Section B: Only leaving for Winter Break?

You don’t need to move out of your room if you’re only leaving for vacation, leisure, etc., and coming back to your room in Spring 2026. Please make sure to do the following before you leave for the break:

• Remember to complete the Winter Break Plan Form
• Turn off all lights
• Make sure all window(s) & door(s) are secured, closed & locked
• Frear Hall and Ānuenue residents – please shut off A/C.
• Shut drapes and/or blinds
• Unplug items that do not need to be plugged-in (e.g., lamps, alarm clocks)
• Sweep or vacuum all floor space and along wall edges
• Remove personal belongings from the floor
• Trash: Dispose of perishable items and trash. Do not put room trash in bathroom trash cans, lounge trash cans or courtyard trash cans – take trash outside to the dumpster and recycling areas.
• Refrigerators: Clean out the refrigerator and throw away any food that will go bad during the break. If there is nothing that needs to be refrigerated during the break, unplug and thoroughly defrost your refrigerator, and leave the door ajar prior to departing for break.
• Be Advised! Cars are not immune to burglary. If you leave your car over break, park it under the lights and remove all valuables from your car.

Vacant Space Reminders

If there is a vacant bed space in your room/suite/apartment, please expect that a new resident will be assigned there for spring semester or during winter break. In anticipation of this, make sure to do the following to ensure a smooth welcoming for a new roommate:

• Ensure the unoccupied space is fully cleared for a new resident (including bed, wardrobe, closet, desk, and floor space).
• If you live in a suite or apartment, make sure that common areas (bathrooms/kitchens/living rooms) are cleaned and presentable for an incoming resident.

Please be aware that staff will be entering rooms with vacant spaces during winter break to verify they are ready for a new resident. If the spaces are not ready to receive a roommate, you may be charged for occupying the additional space or for any cleaning that needs to be done. If suite/apartment bathrooms and living rooms are not clean and presentable for an incoming resident, registered occupants may be charged for SHS Operations to clean those spaces prior to spring move-in.

Section C: Remaining for Winter Break?

Remember to complete the Winter Break Plan Form. Please note, there will be limited food service available during the break, and most University offices will be closed. We will still have hall staff members on duty and available to assist with issues that may occur. The Department of Public Safety continues to operate 24-hours per day, 7-days per week during the break.

Safety Reminders:

• Be extra aware in your community
•  Make sure building entries are closed and locked
•  Know who is staying on your floor or in neighboring units
• Don’t allow strangers into the buildings
• If you see something, say something

Vacant Space Reminders

If there is a vacant bed space in your room/suite/apartment, please expect that a new resident will be assigned there for spring semester or during winter break. In anticipation of this, make sure to do the following to ensure a smooth welcoming for a new roommate:

• Ensure the unoccupied space is fully cleared for a new resident (including bed, wardrobe, closet, desk, and floor space).
• If you live in a suite or apartment, make sure that common areas (bathrooms/kitchens/living rooms) are cleaned and presentable for an incoming resident.

Please be aware that staff will be entering rooms with vacant spaces during winter break to verify they are ready for a new resident. If the spaces are not ready to receive a roommate, you may be charged for occupying the additional space or for any cleaning that needs to be done. If suite/apartment bathrooms and living rooms are not clean and presentable for an incoming resident, registered occupants may be charged for SHS Operations to clean those spaces prior to spring move-in.

If you need staff assistance

• Refer to “Hours of Operations” listed below for appropriate offices and community desks
• After 8pm daily and 24/7 Weekends/Holidays: Hall staff on duty can be reached via cell phone: In an emergency, call 911 (Honolulu Police) or 808-956-6911 (Public Safety)

In an emergency, call 911 (Honolulu Police) or 808-956-6911 (Department of Public Safety)

Hours of Operation

Operations during winter break are modified, scaled back, and closed at some points of the week, please review the schedule and hours below.

Dining Hall Hours

• Hale Aloha Café will close after dinner on Saturday, December 20, 2025, and remain closed throughout the break. It will resume regular operation starting with breakfast service on Friday, January 9, 2026.
• Gateway Café will close after lunch on Friday, December 19, 2025, and remain closed throughout the break. It will resume regular operation starting with breakfast on Monday, January 12, 2026.
• The Market at Noelani will close for the break after business hours (3pm-11pm) on Thursday, December 18, 2025. It will reopen regular operations on Friday, January 9, 2026 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm.

Student Housing Services (in Frear Hall)

• Winter Break (December 22-January 2): Open Monday-Friday 10:00am-2:00pm
• Closed December 25 and January 1
• Beginning January 5, 2026: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm (regular hours)

SHS Mail Services (in Frear Hall)

• Winter Break (December 22-January 9): Open Monday – Friday 11:00am – 3:00pm
• Closed December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 2, and weekends
• Beginning January 12: Normal Hours resume

 Community Desks:

Through Saturday, December 20:

• Gateway Community Desk: standard hours, 8:00am-8:00pm daily
• Lokelani Community Desk: standard hours, 8:00am-8:00pm daily
• Wainani Community Desk: standard hours, 8:00am-8:00pm daily
• Kahawai Community Desk: standard hours, 11:00am-8:00pm daily
• Ānuenue Community Desk: standard hours, 2:00pm-8:00pm daily

 December 21, 2025 – January 9, 2026:

• Gateway Community Desk (serving all communities, all other community desks will be closed):
• Open 8:00am-8:00pm daily (Unless otherwise posted)
• Closed December 25 and January 1, 2026

Beginning Saturday, January 10, 2026:

All community desks will open and return to regular services.         

• Gateway Community Desk: standard hours, 8:00am-8:00pm daily
• Lokelani Community Desk: standard hours, 8:00am-8:00pm daily
• Wainani Community Desk: standard hours, 8:00am-8:00pm daily
• Kahawai Community Desk: standard hours, 11:00am-8:00pm daily
• Ānuenue Community Desk: standard hours, 2:00pm-8:00pm daily

March 15, 2025 – March 23, 2025

If you will be away from the halls during spring break, please make sure to do the following before you leave:

• Turn off all lights
• Ensure all window(s) and door(s) are closed and locked
• Shut drapes and/or blinds
• Unplug items that do not need to be plugged-in (e.g., lamps, alarm clocks)
• Trash: Dispose of perishable items and trash. Do not put room trash in bathroom trash cans, lounge trash cans or courtyard trash cans – take trash outside to the dumpster and recycling areas.
• Refrigerators: Clean out the refrigerator and throw away any food that will go bad during the break. If there is nothing that needs to be refrigerated during the break, unplug and thoroughly defrost your refrigerator and wipe dry, and leave the door ajar prior to departing for break.
• Frear Hall residents – please shut off A/C.

Be Advised! Cars/ mopeds are not immune to burglary. If you leave your car/moped over break, park it under the lights, remove all valuables, and ensure it is secured and locked.

STAYING FOR THE BREAK?

Please note that many University offices will be closed over the break. We will still have hall staff members on duty and available to assist with issues that may occur. The Department of Public Safety continues to operate 24-hours per day, 7-days per week during the break.

Safety Reminders:

• Be extra aware in your community
• Make sure building entries are closed and locked
• Know who is staying on your floor or in neighboring units
• Don’t allow strangers into the buildings – if you are not comfortable with confronting someone you don’t know, please report the incident immediately to hall staff, the Community Desks, or to DPS.
• If you see something, say something.

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE:

Refer to “Hours of Operations” listed below for appropriate offices and community desks. After 8PM daily and 24/7 Weekends/Holidays: Hall staff on duty can be reached via cell phone:

In an emergency, call 911 (Honolulu Police) or 808-956-6911 (Department of Public Safety).

HOUSING HOURS OF OPERATIONS:

• Student Housing Services (in Frear Hall): Regular Hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-4PM
• Residential Life Office (in Johnson Hall A): Regular Hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-4PM
• Community Desks:
  • Through March 14: All Community Desks (list below) are operating at standard hours of operations
    • Hale Aloha Lokelani: 8AM-8PM Daily
    • Hale Wainani: 8AM-8PM Daily
    • Frear Hall: 8AM-8PM Daily
    • Hale Ānuenue: 2PM-8PM Daily
    • Hale Kahawai: 11AM-8PM Daily
  • March 15 through March 22: Frear Hall Community Desk (serving all communities, and all other desks will be closed): 8AM-8PM Daily (unless otherwise posted)
  • Beginning March 23: All Community Desks return to regular hours of operations
• SHS Mail Center (in Frear Hall):
  • Through March 14: Standard hours of operation
  • March 15 through March 23: Open at 11AM – 3PM
  • Beginning March 24: SHS Mail Center returns to standard hours

SPRING BREAK DINING HOURS

• View Manoa Dining Services Spring Break Hours

Normal hours of operation will resume on Monday, March 24, 2025.

OUR HALLS ARE CLOSING ON MAY 16, 2025

Plan for our closing deadline of your housing contract, as…

1. Residents cannot stay later than the date and time stated above per your housing contract.
2. Check your emails daily for important information on our halls closing and will be sent via email often.
3. It is a good idea to plan ahead for your departure from campus to reduce the stress and hassle you may feel during this busy time of year. If you live on Oʻahu, consider taking some of your belongings home before finals week. If you live off-island, consider transferring some of your belongings to storage or mailing them home prior to finals week.