While students going back home will be returning to their families to celebrate the holiday, those remaining at the university also have an opportunity to celebrate Turkey Day.
ResLife will be hosting a number of events throughout Thanksgiving weekend for students remaining on campus.
“This year we are continuing a tradition that began a few years ago,” said Sabrina Griffith, the Assistant Director of ResLife.
“We will be hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner in the ResCom Clubhouse on Thanksgiving evening.”
The dinner will take place on Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. and is open to all students at no cost. As it will be held in celebration of Thanksgiving, traditional Thanksgiving plates such as turkey and ham will be served.
“ResLife hosts this dinner every year because we know that we have a number of students that choose to stay on campus over the break to work off campus jobs, because it is too close to break or they just simply do not wish to travel,” said Griffith.
“Typically we host about 40-50 students but we prepare for more because we do not require students to sign up.”
“Outside of this event, some Resident Assistants may choose to have their own Thanksgiving programs before or after the dinner to give the residents something to do and the opportunity to interact with others here for the break.”
Be sure to look out for notices in your community to see if your RA will be holding any Thanksgiving events.
Another organization aside from ResLife that is also hosting a special event for Thanksgiving is the International Student Organization.
Traditionally they have worked with the dinner that ResLife hosts by bringing in dishes from their native countries.
“By making dishes from their own country they are embracing the tradition of Thanksgiving,” said Nicole Robinson, president of the organization.
This year they will be hosting their own event off campus. As of now the plans are not finalized but the overall idea is for the students who will not be going home for Thanksgiving to get together off campus for dinner and then go out and spend time together.
This was organized in order to ensure that international students who are not able to go home do not feel left out.
“For those who can’t go home, just being around friends really helps,” said Robinson.
“That is what Thanksgiving is about. It is about diversity and just celebrating relationships you have.”
For more information about the International Student Organization contact Nicole Robinson at nrobinson@spartans.ut.edu.
Shivani Kanji can be reached at shivani.kanji@spartans.ut.edu.