While the majority of students at Grand Valley State University head home for Thanksgiving break, others spend the extended weekend in their residence halls on campus. With many university departments closed during this time, it can be difficult for students staying on campus to continue their daily routines as usual.

Administrators of the housing and residence life department urge all students planning to stay in their on-campus units during the break to submit a break stay request. This form closed Friday, Nov. 18 but students can still request to stay over the break by contacting their living center director.

Residents who have submitted a break stay request will see signs placed on their doors. This will notify all facilities workers, maintenance, resident assistants and other residents of a student occupying the unit during the break.

Any residents staying on campus during the break will see limited hours for mail services, residential desks and campus dining.

On Wednesday, Nov. 23 residential desks will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with the mail and package center open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The only Allendale campus dining locations open on this day will be: Kirkhof Lobby Shop from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Subway from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Papa John’s from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

All residential front desks, the mailroom and all campus dining locations will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24.

Friday, Nov. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 26 residential desks will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with the mail and package center open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The only campus dining location open during this time will be Papa John’s from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The mail and package center will be closed Sunday, Nov. 27 and all residential desks will operate at normal Sunday hours. Various campus dining locations will reopen on this day as well.

The majority of students staying in their units over break are international students and those who work in the area.

Douglas Chambers, a resident assistant in the Mark A. Murray Living Center, recommends students stock up on food before the campus dining options become limited.

“As for food, it is extremely hard and I wish Grand Valley would do something different about this,” Chambers said. “I have heard this concern from several people. I recommend stocking up on meals before the convenience stores close or get to Meijer before the buses no longer run.”

Chambers added that many international students spend Thanksgiving at the homes of their American friends and roommates. The resident assistants also organize potlucks and game nights for students to beat boredom while many others are home for the break.

If a student is unsure who their living center director is, they can contact the central housing office at (616) 331-2120 to find out. Students must submit a break stay form if they plan to occupy their units at any time during Thursday, Nov. 24 or Friday, Nov. 25.