With Thanksgiving approaching, thousands of Ohio State students, faculty and staff will be heading home for the holiday, but there are many who cannot.
For those who are planning to spend Thanksgiving on or near campus, here are some meals, events and excursions to do over break.
Thanksgiving dinner
Students and staff who cannot make it home for break are invited to attend a free Thanksgiving dinner a day early on Wednesday, at noon in the Archie M. Griffin Ballroom at the Ohio Union. The dinner is hosted by the Office of International Affairs, as stated on their website, and as many as 1,000 people attend this annual event.
Students planning on attending will need to get tickets in advance, either at the Office of International Affairs in Enarson Classroom Building or at the Ohio Union’s Information Desk. They will need to show their BuckIDs to get on a list for the meal, according to the website.
Following the dinner, the Office of International Affairs will be having a screening of Wes Anderson’s classic stop-motion film “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — which follows an anthropomorphic fox as he steals food for his family from three mean farmers — starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Wexner Center for the Arts, the website states.
Bob Evans
If that sounds like too big a crowd, the Bob Evans restaurant at 1455 Olentangy River Road – a mere mile and a half from campus — offers a full Thanksgiving meal for one, which costs $18.99 and includes slices of turkey and ham, a roll, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, stuffing and a slice of pumpkin pie, their website states.
The restaurant also offers larger meals for groups of six people that cost the same per person. Pre-made meals that are frozen and can be warmed up later are also available. The website provides the option to place orders of these meals now for delivery or pickup on Thanksgiving.
What’s closed on campus?
Dining halls and services across campus have adjusted their hours starting Monday, with all dining halls being closed Thursday through Saturday, the dining services’ website states. The RPAC and North Recreation Center will close early Wednesday and open back up again Sunday.
Giving back/paying forward
A different way to spend Thanksgiving is by giving back to the community through volunteering. The LifeCare Alliance — a social services organization off-campus — has its Meals-on-Wheels program, which helps deliver meals to families in need, offering volunteer opportunities for drivers to deliver the meal and in some cases, help prepare them. Potential volunteers can sign up on the organization’s website.
The Driven Foundation, created by former Ohio State and NFL football players Roy Hall and Antonio Smith, deliver meals to families who can’t afford traditional Thanksgiving meals. According to their website, they delivered more than 250 meals to families in Central Ohio last year, working with Red Door BBQ and Chef DJ to put together dinner boxes containing turkey, green beans, stuffing, rolls, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and a pie. Volunteers can sign up to help through the foundation’s website.
Another volunteer opportunity is to help make or deliver Thanksgiving baskets with the Columbus Dream Center, a faith-based nonprofit organization serving the homeless and underserved communities, ahead of the holiday. The baskets include ingredients for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner; the center also hosts a free Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the holiday, with no reservations needed.
Entertainment/Shopping
Ohio State’s discounted ticket program, D-Tix, is offering tickets while supplies last for students to see Twilight in Concert Friday at the Palace Theatre — located at 34 W. Broad St. The concert is a cinematic live-to-film performance featuring a 12-piece rock and orchestra ensemble, playing along to the 2008 film “Twilight” meant for fans and newcomers alike, according to the event’s website.
Central Ohio Transit Authority buses will run all Black Friday, including to Easton Town Center, so it’s possible for students to go shopping during the holiday deals. Easton Town Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., with varying holiday hours leading up to Christmas and New Year’s.
And of course, the Saturday following Thanksgiving will feature the Buckeyes football team taking on TTUN — That Team Up North — for their 121st game in the long-standing Michigan vs. Ohio State rivalry, according to the Ohio State University Libraries website.
Kickoff is at noon Saturday and broadcast by FOX Sports in Ann Arbor, Mich., but students can find all the M’s on campus crossed out leading up to the game. Students can also watch the game at their favorite bars, with many campus bars opening as early as 6 a.m. Saturday, per prior Lantern reporting.
