Thanksgiving break is quickly approaching, which provides an opportunity for students to travel back home and spend time with the family; for others, though, that’s not part of the plan.

Because students have the opportunity to stay on campus, the Office of Residential Life has scheduled different programs throughout the week to keep the students entertained.

Amy Boyle, director of residential life, explained that Res Life works to accommodate students who remain on campus.

“Our goal is to create an environment that is filled with holiday spirit, gratitude and community,” Boyle said.

Students must fill out a housing application for Res Life to have an estimate of how many students plan to say in dorms over Thanksgiving holiday.

“Typically we host 100 to 200 students in the halls during the break,” Boyle said.

Among those students, some are international, and others are exchange students.

Story Vreeland, mass communication freshman, said she won’t return to her native San Francisco over the break.

“The plane tickets are expensive and I’ll be home three weeks later for Christmas,” Vreeland said.

Instead, she has other plans in mind.

“I’m going to study for finals, take myself out to nice meals and maybe have a Thanksgiving at a family friend’s house,” Vreeland said.

As for others, like Jacob DeRusha, desk assistant in Buddig Hall and music business senior, the suitcases and plane tickets are set.

“I’ll be headed home to Albuquerque, New Mexico to spend some days with my family and my sister, who I haven’t seen since the summer,” DeRusha said.

DeRusha also said that he grew up in a sheltered environment and he tries to go home every break. Since he’s leaving, he won’t be able to spend time with residents, but agrees that Thanksgiving break at Loyola is fun.

“I think that’s really cool, I think that a lot of the kids that stay are international, so they haven’t experienced Thanksgiving, since that’s like our cultural thing. I think it will be cool for them to experience and give them something to bond over,” DeRusha said.

Some of the events that will be hosted include movie nights, games and puzzles at each front desk, lawn games, Christmas Tree decorating, and the traditional Thanksgiving Dinner that will be offered at 2 p.m. in the Orleans Room on Thanksgiving Day.