The long-awaited Thanksgiving break is finally here, and most Penn State students are ready to go home.
This year, only 30 students -- 22 men and 8 women -- are staying in dorms for break, while last year 70 students -- 40 men and 30 women -- took advantage of this option. Members of several Penn State sports teams are also staying for part of the break.
The Office of Housing provides temporary housing for the five-day break in evacuated study lounges for $15 a night.
"I assume that more people are going home this year because they have had a year or two to figure out transportation options," said Ryan Morgan, manager of assignments.
This year, Penn State shortened fall break to one day and added a day to Thanksgiving break. Lynn Dubois, assistant director of housing, said that the extra day at Thanksgiving would not make much of a difference to those students who need planes to get home.
"A lot of students are able to go home with roommates for break since it's a short holiday break and want to share it with others," she said. "Even students that are within the United States that live too far away to go home tend to find somewhere to go."
On-campus eateries will also be closed over break, making it harder for students to find meals.
This year the women will be housed in a study lounge in McElwain Hall and the men will be housed in two lounges in Leete and Runkle halls. Students are not allowed to stay in their current dorms due to safety concerns and a lack of residence life staff.
Members from the women's volleyball and soccer teams are also staying at Penn State over Thanksgiving break due to their game schedule.
The women's soccer team will be playing UCLA Friday in Los Angeles, Calif., and spending the rest of their Thanksgiving break at the 2003 NCAA women's soccer tournament. The women's volleyball team will be playing at University of Minnesota on Friday and at the University of Iowa on Saturday.
Since they are part of a university-sponsored activity, their coach acts as a security contact for the team in place of a resident assistant, allowing them to stay in their current rooms.
"It is rough not being able to be around my family, and not being able to have a home cooked meal," said Ashley Fidler (freshman-division of undergraduate studies), a member of the women's volleyball team. "We are having Thanksgiving dinner at The Nittany Lion Inn, but if we weren't, not having the dining facilities open would make being here even worse."
Alison McKeown (freshman-division of undergraduate studies), a member of the women's soccer team, said it won't be the first time she has spent Thanksgiving away from home, but this will be the first time spending it without family.
"This year, we will all be traveling to UCLA and I can't wait to spend this time with my team," she said. "But the experience is going to be different not having a home cooked meal."
Other students that can't go home for the break are solving the problem by going somewhere.
"Because I am from Korea, I can't go home," said Woo-Yeon Park (freshman-communications), who is traveling to New York City to spend time with her sister and friends. "It'll be nice to be in the city and have a break from State College. I am really excited for vacation."
Whatever a student's traveling situation is, many are ready to have a break.
"It feels as if we have not had a day off in a really long time," Diana Mysliwiec (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said. "Fall break is the only day we've had off all semester and one day just isn't enough."
