Staying on campus over Thanksgiving break and don’t have plans?
With the library and most Brodhead Center restaurants either closed or operating with limited hours from Wednesday to Friday, there’s plenty of time to binge-watch Netflix or get caught up on all the class readings. But if you’re looking for things to do on campus and in Durham, here are some options for things to do until the weekend gets here.
Take in some art—from the Medici’s Painter to the Hip Hop Nutcracker
Haven’t had a chance to make it to the Nasher recently—or maybe skipped the exhibit on Carlo Dolci for the weekend brunch? The museum is open during its regular hours this week aside from being closed on Thursday. As usual, admission is free for Duke students, faculty and staff with their Duke cards.
For those willing to venture off campus and get into the holiday spirit right after Thanksgiving, there are two shows on Friday in the city. DPAC is hosting two performances of The Hip Hop Nutcracker at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The show, which is “a contemporary re-imagination of Tchaikovsky’s timeless music,” sold out at DPAC in 2016, according to the center’s website. The Carolina Theater is hosting “A Motown Christmas Starring The Motown Experience” at 8:00 p.m. Friday. Both shows still have tickets available.
Attend a sports game
Despite the men’s basketball team and the football team being on the road this week, there are several games on campus—including an NCAA tournament game for the women’s soccer team. They will face Baylor at 5:00 p.m. at home on Friday as one of the last eight teams standing in the NCAA tournament, and the men’s team will face Fordham at home on Saturday as part of the third round of their tournament.
There will also be some volleyball action on campus as Duke takes on NC State Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and UNC Friday at 6:30 p.m., both in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Grab a bite to eat in Durham
Thanksgiving break may be a great chance to venture into Durham and find some new favorite local eateries, as the options on campus will be limited over the break. Some Durham restaurants are closed for the holiday, so it’s a good idea to call ahead.
Only a handful of campus vendors will be open on Wednesday, with a few more Brodhead Center locations opening on Friday. Robert Coffey, director of dining services, explained in an email that Merchants-on-Points vendors that are open for the holiday will be operating during their regular hours on Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving day, the only restaurant open on campus will be The Commons, which will serve a Thanksgiving meal from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. that will cost $14.25 per person. Students can use food points to pay, Coffey confirmed.
Celebrate Thanksgiving
If you choose to celebrate the holiday, there are a couple of events to do so on campus this week.
Housing and Residential Life has teamed up with the International House to host a Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Keohane Atrium that is “open to all Duke residents and international students," according to an online informational sheet about the dinner. The Duke Center for Muslim Life is hosting a Friends-Giving Dinner on Friday at 6:00 p.m. that is open to all Duke students, but reservations are required via a Qualtrics form.
For some first-years, there may also be an opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving in their dorms. Dean Sue Wasiolek, who is the faculty-in-residence for Gilbert-Addoms, said that she sent out an invite to students in her dorm to join her to celebrate the holiday. Wasiolek said that she hopes students who are on campus are able to find that "homey" feeling somewhere during the holiday break.
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Bre is a senior political science major from South Carolina, and she is the current video editor, special projects editor and recruitment chair for The Chronicle. She is also an associate photography editor and an investigations editor. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief and local and national news department head.
Twitter: @brebradham
Email: breanna.bradham@duke.edu