Alexis Starr, mechanical engineering freshman, said she’s decided to stay in her dorm, away from her family and friends in Alexandria, Va., this Thanksgiving because travel expenses are not worth the short holiday.”It’s weird,” Starr said. “It’d be the first time I’d get to see them [since coming to the University], but it’s not terrible. I miss them, but I’m not going to die.”Whether students are skipping Thanksgiving dinner with their families because of cost, time and studies or because they’ve never celebrated the holiday before, the University offers opportunities for students to receive a warm meal and a Thanksgiving experience.Every year, the International Cultural Center and the International Hospitality Foundation organize a Thanksgiving meal for all students who don’t have Thanksgiving Day plans.”Thanksgiving is a big holiday in the United States, and many of our students won’t have a chance to go back home to see their families over Thanksgiving,” said Harold Leder, Academic Programs Abroad director. “We figured it’s a rather sad day for students if they don’t have an invitation to go to Thanksgiving dinner, so why not do a Thanksgiving dinner for them.”This is the tenth year the ICC and IHF have held the Thanksgiving meal, Leder said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille. He said 160 students have RSVPed to come this year, which is the maximum number the ICC can have.The Thanksgiving meal, provided by Piccadilly Cafeteria and other donors and volunteers, will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the ICC and is free for students, faculty, staff and other guests.”It’s very festive,” Leder said. “We decorate the ICC, and then we have volunteers who come in the morning and start working in the kitchen. Everybody is asked to bring something [like dessert or drinks], which is also part of Thanksgiving.”Leder said before Piccadilly got involved, the International Hospitality Foundation donated money to buy turkeys. He said when Piccadilly learned what the IHF and ICC do for students who remain on campus, they decided to provide all the food.Last year’s Thanksgiving dinner was at Piccadilly because damage from Hurricane Gustav cause building closures, Virginia Grenier, IHF executive director, said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille. She said this year the dinner will serve as a celebration for Thanksgiving and the restoration of the ICC.David Heidke, LSU Dining director, said the dining facilities on campus will be closed for the holiday.During the month of November, LSU Dining provided Thanksgiving meals at the 459 Commons, the Faculty Club and the Magnolia Room. The Faculty Club and the Magnolia Room both served Thanksgiving-style menus this past week, while the 459 Commons had its Thanksgiving meal during the first week of November to “spread out the turkey,” Heidke said.All LSU Dining facilities will remain open today, but they will be closed Nov. 26 and 27. Limited service will be available Nov. 28 and 29 in the LSU Student Union, the 459 Commons and the UREC Smoothie King.Jay High, Residential Life communications manager, said even though the University is closed Thursday and Friday, the residence halls will remain open.”Most of our students are going home [for Thanksgiving], but we do have a staff here for those staying behind,” High said. “Some RAs are going home, but other RAs are staying. They will have two RAs on call for 24 hours a day.”Starr said she and other friends staying behind for the holiday will “attempt to cook a turkey” at one of her friend’s off-campus apartments.Starr said she feels good knowing the University is providing both international and American students the opportunity to experience Thanksgiving away from home.”I could [go to the ICC and] eat turkey instead of Ramen noodles, which would suck on Thanksgiving,” she said.Leder said the Thanksgiving meal at the ICC provides international students with a truly American experience.”It’s a very important holiday because it reflects what the American society and community stand for,” Leder said.—-Contact Mary Walker Baus at [email protected]