In one more week, many students can go home and celebrate Thanksgiving with families and friends.

However, not all students have the privilege of hugging their families and friends after a three-month separation. 

Some international students, student-athletes and domestic students who live far away are to stay on campus during all of Thanksgiving break.

According to International Students Services Director Renee Brown, international students and athletes in season, such as the men’s and women’s basketball players and wrestlers, are to be provided with food on campus during Thanksgiving break.

However, if these students wish to be provided food, they have to sign up to let her know.

“I’m not sure about the specifics (of who is providing the food and where the students are to pick up their food). 

”I’m just submitting a list of the students (who wish to be provided with food) and waiting for the email (for specifications),” Brown said.

Housing and Dining Service Director Bob Knipple agreed with Brown that the details of the meal arrangements for students depend on the number of students staying on campus.

“Students will have meals, we just won’t know if those will be boxed meals or meal served in the dining hall until we know how many students will need to be fed.” Knipple said.

Last year, international students were given a $40 allowance a day for meals during Thanksgiving break, and they could be reimbursed by turning in receipts for the meals they had.

“(It changed this year because) we are trying to streamline the process for international students so they won’t need to leave campus for their meals, especially since some of them do not have transportation.” Knipple said.

Sophomore Rutheren Moorthi, an international student from Malaysia, said he stayed on campus last Thanksgiving and plans to stay on campus this year, as well.

“It was pretty quiet and (there was) less human interaction (last year). It can be pretty depressing if you’re not into these two things,” he said.

Moorthi said that he watched a lot of movies and did his homework during last Thanksgiving, and, since people don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Malaysia, he said that being alone on Thanksgiving is not a big deal for him.

“I don’t care about Thanksgiving. I’m homesick all the time, (so) it doesn’t make a difference.” Moorthi said.

Junior Paige Armstrong, who lives in the Living/Learning Center, is one of the domestic students staying on campus for all of Thanksgiving break this semester.

“I have stayed on campus for the last two years now.

“I’m from Kansas City, and I just don’t really have the money to fly home for four days.

“The school does not provide food for me, so I have to get my own meals. 

“I do not have a car, so I’ll probably have to stock up on food from Walmart and depend on delivery around here.” Armstrong said.

Armstrong said that she is going to miss home.

“It’s a little sad to be alone when the rest of my family gets together.”