Nobody wants to be alone during the holidays, especially students who stay in Corvallis during holiday breaks. Oregon State University has a wide variety of students who come from all different backgrounds and places. Many students are from out of the state and some are from overseas.

Visiting home for the holidays is tough, or impossible for some students. Plane tickets are expensive, holiday traffic on the highways can be heavy with undesirable weather conditions and some students just don’t have the time. All of these factors make it difficult for students to return home, but there are some ways to still make a great holiday season here in Corvallis.

“It is very expensive to go back to home to San Diego for Thanksgiving, and I also hate airplanes,” said Shelby Strockbine, an Oregon State junior. Many out-of-state students choose to stay in Corvallis for the holidays because of these reasons. Strockbine explained that she is joining her roommates family in Corvallis for thanksgiving dinner. “I’m very grateful that their family has opened up their home to me for this special day,” she said.

Some of the dining halls on campus, such as Arnold Hall, offer thanksgiving dinner to residents. These thanksgiving meals include traditional foods like turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing so students can feel like their eating a home cooked meal.The dining halls are open for holiday dinners, but almost all of the dorms are closed during winter break. The only dorm remains open is the international building, the ILLC. This dorm is open for international students who live overseas that do not get the opportunity to fly home for the holidays.

Not only international students, but since the holidays are a time for transitioning between fall and winter sports, many student athletes have to stay in town for their commitment to sports as well.

If you’re a student staying in town for the holidays, consider going to the dining hall for a delicious turkey meal, or asking a friend who lives nearby if you can join them for the holidays. Make the most of the holidays in Corvallis and enjoy those people around you.

Photography by Chelsea Francis (via unsplash.com)