I know that many of you are counting the days—and even the hours—until your Lancers are home for Thanksgiving.
But we still have them for a few days here on campus, so we’ll be getting a jump on serving the traditional feast: Longwood’s Thanksgiving dinner will be in Dorrill Dining Hall on Thursday, Nov. 18. On the menu are ham, turkey, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes and more, plus Longwood’s famous baked Alaska for dessert.
Before the holidays arrive, there is some planning and preparing your student needs to take care of if they live in Longwood-managed housing—whether they will be away from campus during the holidays or whether they are remaining on campus.
Longwood will be closed for the Thanksgiving holidays Nov. 24-26, and no classes will be held on those days. Unless your student is told otherwise by their professor, all classes on Tuesday, Nov. 23, including evening classes, will meet as scheduled.
University administrative offices also will be closed Nov. 24-26.
Anticipating your questions, here are a few answers I thought might be helpful.
When will Longwood-managed housing be closed for the holidays?
Longwood-managed housing will be closed from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, through noon Sunday, Nov. 28. This means that ID card access to residence halls and apartments will not be available during this time UNLESS your student has filled out an online “intent to stay” form.
If I’m picking my student up from Johns Hall or Moss Hall, are there any special arrangements I should be aware of?
On Tuesday, Nov. 23, from noon to 6:30 p.m., residents and parents will be permitted to load vehicles on Spruce Street. Instructions about this special arrangement—which will be similar to the one-way traffic pattern used during August move-in—will be emailed to all residents assigned to Johns and Moss halls. This will prevent dangerous traffic congestion on the South Main Street side the high rises.
What does my student need to do if they’re leaving campus for the holidays?
Students who live in Longwood-managed housing and are leaving campus for the break need to complete the tasks below before they leave. Rooms and apartments will be inspected to make sure the steps below have been followed.
—Remove all trash, contraband and perishable food
—Thoroughly clean their assigned living area, including the bathroom and common spaces
—If applicable, adjust their room thermostat to a low/medium setting
—Take valuables and important items with them (medication, eyeglasses, wallet, etc.)
—Shut down and unplug all electronics, except personal refrigerators or apartment appliances
—Turn off all lights
—Close and lock all windows
—Lower all window blinds/shades
—Lock all doors
What must my student do to maintain access to their residence hall/apartment during the holidays?
Any student who needs access to their Longwood-managed housing—both residence halls and apartments—from 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, through noon Sunday, Nov. 28, must submit an online “intent to stay” form through Longwood’s housing gateway.
When can they fill out the “intent to stay” form and what is the deadline?
The deadline to submit the “intent to stay” form is 11:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22. The form is currently active.
What safety measures will be in place for students who stay on campus during the holidays?
Submitting the “intent to stay” form will provide your student with uninterrupted ID card access to their campus residence (where applicable) as well as notify Campus Police of their continued presence on campus as a safety measure. All students who remain on campus should be sure to carry their Longwood IDs with them at all times for identification purposes.
What campus dining options will be available during the Thanksgiving holidays?
Longwood meal plans do not include a charge for the Thanksgiving break/weekend. Food outlets will observe normal hours on Tuesday, Nov. 23, and will be closed on Wednesday, Nov. 24, through Saturday, Nov. 27. Moe’s will reopen at 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 28, and Dorrill Dining Hall will reopen at 5 p.m. Sunday. All normal operations resume on Monday.
Will the FAB (Farmville Area Bus) be running during the days the university is closed?
Farmville Area Bus (FAB) service will end at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23. Bus service is expected to resume at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 28. No bus transportation is available to Lancer Park during university breaks.
I hope you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving full of fun, friends and good food. One of the things I’ll be thinking about on Nov. 25 is how thankful I am that you have entrusted your child’s college experience to Longwood.
—Sabrina Brown