Dining options limited during break

For the second year in a row, the University of Miami will have an entire week off for Thanksgiving. In previous years, the break consisted of only the Thursday and Friday of the holiday.

Though this additional time off makes it possible for some students to return home, others will remain on campus because of financial or distance constraints.

For senior Roxanne Mayrand, who is originally from France, the week is not long enough to justify paying for a flight home.

“Since we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, the holiday doesn’t matter to me – the only thing is that I’ll be alone on campus,” she said.

Once the break begins, other students remaining on campus will be faced with limited dining options.

During the break, the Mahoney-Pearson Dining Hall will be closed, forcing all upperclassmen students to visit the Hecht-Stanford Dining Hall, which will be operating for limited hours, according to an email sent out to students living in the residential colleges.

“As a freshman in the residential colleges, I am glad I do not have to go all the way to Mahoney-Pearson to eat, but I feel bad for the upperclassmen,” freshman Molly Beggs said.

The email also listed other dining options that will be open during the break. Innovation Kitchen, Pollo Tropical and Subway will be open Nov. 24-26. Outtakes, Lime, Einstein’s and the Courtside Eatery will be open throughout the week as well.

M20, Jamba Juice, The Rathskellar, Uragano Pizza Truck, Half Moon, Sebastian’s Café, Village Market, Starbucks at the Library, the Corner Deli, Sushi Maki and Panda Express will all be closed.

Some students, such as freshman Kristin Doneva, are dissatisfied with the lack of dining services.

“I am very disappointed because as an international student I would expect the university to respect that I cannot go home over break,” she said. “Even though this is not a holiday I celebrate, I would expect more options for my break.”

On Thanksgiving, the Faculty Master apartments in Stanford, Hecht, Eaton and Mahoney-Pearson will each be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner. Each location will host a dinner for its own residents at a specific time. Various religious organizations on campus will be hosting their own dinners, as well.

“We had Thanksgiving lunch last year in Stanford,” sophomore Quang Nguyen said. “The faculty try to make it as comfy and homey as possible. It’s nice. At least we got to feel like what there is for a Thanksgiving meal. We went there and watched a movie together, all the freshman that could not make it back home.”