As we enter the holiday season of turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin spice and peppermint-flavored everything, most of us hunger to stay wrapped up in a warm “holiday bubble” until Winter Break.
The Winter Break countdown typically begins now for many of us, as we power through the month of November. Some of us may have even begun the countdown after Fall Break.
Daily homework, projects and final grades would seem just disgraceful to even think about at a time like this, right?
Being college students who long for the upcoming extended Winter Break, we don’t even need the cue of chilly or below freezing weather to start the holiday countdown; nope, no need.
All we need is to see holiday traditions that line the aisles of Wal-Mart or festive pumpkins that decorate the entrance of the Dorrill Dining Hall (D-Hall) for us.
Longwood University’s staff put in a great amount of effort in order to make our holiday traditions come alive in the last few weeks of fall semester; for instance, serving turkey, mashed potatoes and chili.
D-Hall also serves to cater traditional holiday events as well. Every year, the staff put together a traditional familystyle dinner in which students can make reservations for a Thanksgiving dinner; meal swipes and Lancer CA$H are accepted.
But wait, that’s not all; D-Hall also holds Midnight Breakfast just before finals, and other dinners like annual Valentine’s Day dinners, with reservations of course. Holiday style dinners differ from the dining hall’s regular menu by means of catering a “family-style” familiarity for the holidays. The family-style atmosphere tends to help put students at ease during the upcoming breaks and settle themselves for the hours spent studying.
“I think D-Hall holiday meals are nice. For Thanksgiving, the food is definitely different,” said sophomore Shelley Heaney. “There’s turkey, ham, stuffing, rolls, cranberry sauce and more. The desserts are also amazing! It’s like home away from home!”
For many students, a break from the usual dining hall sandwiches, salad bar and ready-made pasta is an opportunity to get excited for the upcoming holiday season.
“I like the holiday dinners because they are a change from the everyday D-Hall. It’s nice to mix it up sometimes,” said sophomore Shannon Pilgrim. “I do think it’s different from the regular menu food. It seems like they put more time into it, especially for the birthday dinners and Thanksgiving. The food just seems better ... on those days.”
Dorrill Dining Hall adds the extra holiday-style effort to comfort students as we charge through the last week and a half left just before our Thanksgiving Break. Then we have the chance to come back, refreshed and regrouped for the first two weeks of December, preparing for finals.
Holiday event-themed dining specials add just a splash of excitement during the final home stretch of this fall semester. So, enjoy those mashed potatoes and mini pumpkin pies they will serve at the dining hall. Yes, granted, they may not be exactly how your grandma makes them, but hey, it’s the thought that counts.
