November is here, and on the last Thursday of this month, many Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving. As GCSU prepares to celebrate the upcoming holiday, students can reflect on the traditions that make it a special day for many families to unite and show love. 

Leading up to the week, GCSU hosts some fall-related events around the school. The Max dining hall will celebrate with its holiday decorations, including pumpkins and paper turkeys, creating a festive atmosphere for diners. 

Additionally, The Max will be serving the traditional Thanksgiving staples during their annual Thanksgiving Feast. The Max will host their annual Thanksgiving Lunch for students and faculty on Nov. 14, and on Nov. 21, they will celebrate the nationally considered holiday, National Stuffing Day. 

For those looking forward to Thanksgiving desserts, there will be plenty featured in the dining hall, including a lineup of pies that features holiday staples like apple, pecan and pumpkin. Other Thanksgiving food traditions students can look forward to include corn, green beans, stuffing and, of course, the turkey.

For Citlali Aguilar-Franco, a sophomore education major, Thanksgiving combines Mexican and American traditions. Her meal consists of main courses like tamales and pozole alongside American classics such as turkey or ham. 

“Much like American culture, we all gather around, and it’s a huge celebration where we have to gather a bunch of tables for everyone to sit and dine together,” Aguilar-Franco said. 

Milledgeville hosts many local Thanksgiving-themed events, including the Autumn Dash, a fundraising event that will be held on Nov. 19 at the Oconee River Greenway. The goal is to help bring meals to less fortunate families in the community. 

There are plenty of other ways for students to feel Thanksgiving warmth on campus this November. The Office of Inclusion and Belonging will be hosting a “Friendsgiving” event at the H.U.B. on Nov.17. The Department of Theatre and Dance will put on dance performances inspired by the fall season in Magnolia Ballroom. Other GCSU clubs and organizations, such as the Council of Student Ambassadors and GC Miracle, will hold themed meetings and activities to get students and faculty in the turkey-eating spirit.

Students and faculty will have a break from regular campus operations from Nov. 27 to Nov. 29, and many will be heading home to enjoy the holiday with their families. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, families and friends will come together to give thanks and celebrate their own unique traditions. 

“One of the traditional events that we have, annually, is ‘Hey, everyone, let’s eat all that we can,’” said Elijah Sultan, a freshman engineering major. “It’s a very American thing to like to eat.”

Thanksgiving with Sultan consists of his family, including cousins, distant relatives, uncles and aunts, who all come together for a multi-generational celebration. He and his family normally feast on turkey, roasted pork, mac-n-cheese and gravy. 

For Sultan, the Thanksgiving experience is special because his birthday falls on Nov. 23, and, though not this year, some years that means he celebrates it on Thanksgiving Day. When it does fall on the holiday, some of his family stays to celebrate both his birthday and Thanksgiving. 

Some GCSU students are unable to go home during the holiday season. Many of the students who remain on campus are international students who instead spend the breaks catching up on school work or spending time with other friends who stay in Milledgeville. In previous years, GSCU’s President Cathy Cox hosted international students at her house for a warm Thanksgiving dinner. 

“I normally spend time at my friend’s house in Atlanta,” said Laura Almagrogez, a junior exercise science major. “Or I go with my friend to visit any place like Savannah, we always have something to do.”