Many students spend Thanksgiving in their hometowns having dinner with their families; however, this isn’t the case with everyone.

Somewhere between 150 and 200 students will be staying on-campus for Thanksgiving break said Joshua Lawrie, the assistant director of housing and administration in the Office of Residence Life.

Students who stay often have jobs or internships they must work at over the break or athletes stay for practices and games.

Being approved for staying on campus is relatively simple, Lawrie said.

“Any student who is currently living with us can apply through myBGSU under the housing and residence life portal to stay over the break,” he said. “We approve all students.”

It costs students $25 per day to remain in the residence halls with several packages students can sign up for.

For Thanksgiving the deadline was Friday, Nov. 22, but students can still apply and stay on campus after the deadline for a late fee of $25. The deadline for winter break is Dec. 13.

Thanksgiving break offers one package because it is short, but winter break has four different packages available.

“Package A is the three days right after break begins; Package B is the three days prior to break ending; Package A and B includes the three days after break begins and the three days prior to it ending; and the final package is the entire break,” Lawrie said.

Students are able to stay on campus for any break.

The number of buildings open depends on how many students are planning to stay on campus.

“For Thanksgiving we will probably have all the buildings open,” Lawrie said. “Once winter break comes around we will re-evaluate.”

There are some occasions where students will have to be relocated based on either demand or construction.

“Sometimes over break they do work so the power has to be shut off to a building and people need to be relocated,” he said.

Each building generally will have one Resident Advisor on duty over break.

“We ask who wants to stay, and then we work out from there,” Lawrie said.

During breaks RAs make rounds of the building to check on residents.

There are no special activities planned over the break and the front desk is closed and residents cannot have guests stay.

Mike Paulus, director of Dining Services said the dining options over break are very limited.

Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks and the Outtakes in the Union are the three options that will be open.

“It’s difficult because no one is here,” he said. “Is it lucrative? No, but it is a service we provide.”

Nothing will be open on Thanksgiving Day.

Sarah Ryan, was an RA last year and stayed in Kohl Hall last year over Thanksgiving break to work because she is from Arizona and her family does not place a lot of emphasis on Thanksgiving.

During her time on campus she did not have any residents staying in her hall and she said campus was very quiet.

“The only people around are residents who stayed, some athletes, hall directors and the other resident advisors who stayed,” Ryan said.

The main difference between breaks and the normal year is the way the halls are checked during duty walks, Ryan said.

The Resident Advisors from Kohl, Centennial and Conklin would walk all three buildings, unlike the rest of the year where a Resident Advisor only walks their own hall.

“We all worked together and would do duty walks in the residence halls twice a day,” Ryan said.