Sitting in the weekly staff meeting and hearing that the RAs on duty over Thanksgiving would be hosting a dinner for students over break evokes one of two feelings. Absolute dread, or delight. Lucky for me, it was delight.

Instantly the gears were turning. What were we going to cook, what sides and what desserts, and how many were we cooking for? Having the opportunity to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for students who didn’t get to go home over break was an experience and a half. As an RA and a student who didn’t go home for break, seeing so many people come in to eat and be with one another was more than heart-warming. It was fulfilling.

In that moment, that single moment of time, I understood what it meant to truly give back. It was more than the food; it was more than the environment; and it was more than the success of the event. Seeing so many people gather, not only to break bread with one another, but to converse and be with their peers, reminded me exactly why I applied to be an RA. In that stitch of time, we forgot, forgot that we were at college, forgot about homework, and forgot about stress. Because we were at home with one another. All it took was a little sweet potato casserole and mac and cheese.

(Pictured, from left to right: Ryan Hassen, RC Stabile, Elizabeth Lizalde, Alexis Korotasz, Danielle Phillpotts-Brown and Cherelle Leslie.)

by Elizabeth M. Lizalde