Turkey day on the hill

When over the river and through the woods is too far for a five-day break, some students stay in Chapel Hill.

When students are from the other side of the county or abroad, a trip home might take too long or cost too much. But those staying behind when the residence halls close Wednesday at 10 a.m. won’t be left out in the cold.

Rick Bradley, assistant director of the Office of Housing and Residential Education, said all students have the option to apply for campus housing during breaks.

“We have free apartment space in Ehringhaus where we can house about 12 people of each gender,” he said.

Bradley added that the two apartment complexes on campus, Ram Village and Odum Village, stay open during breaks to accommodate these students.

“A lot of international students decide to live there for that reason,” he said.

Much of campus, including the Student Union and the dining halls, will also close down for the long weekend.

Some students, such as sophomore Patricia Laya, opt to live off campus through the year in order to avoid housing dilemmas during breaks.

Laya, from Caracas, Venezuela, can’t afford to go home often. She said Chapel Hill has become her home for the next four years, so she decided to live in a place where she could stay over breaks.

This year, her family is coming to experience the holiday — and some of the best deals of the year — with her.

“My mom is coming to visit me,” Laya said. “We’re going to do Black Friday. We sure are going to enjoy the discounts.”

Unlike the numerous American students who travel home to spend the holiday with their families, Laya said Thanksgiving break isn’t a huge deal for international students because most don’t even celebrate the American holiday.

Thomas Reilly, a graduate student from New South Wales, Australia, plans to visit friends in Raleigh during the break.

“I can’t go home because it’s a 24-hour flight and it costs about $2,000 one way,” Reilly said. “And we don’t even celebrate Thanksgiving in Australia.”

There will be about 20 students staying in Ehringhaus Residence Hall during the break, and Bradley said between 30 students and 40 students will be staying in the on-campus apartment complexes.

So while most students will venture home to stuff their faces full of turkey and pie, those few students left on campus can rest in peace knowing they’ll avoid traffic, a few extra pounds and those awkward family moments that come with the holidays.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.