With a whole week of no classes and Thanksgiving celebration, Quinnipiac students and professors share their plans for Thanksgiving break.

Many students such as junior marketing major Jeff Poplaski plan on relaxing and enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday.

“I basically plan on sitting on my butt,” Poplaski said. “I kind of have some work to do over break but I’m going into the city for a Thanksgiving Eve party.”

“I’m just going home to sleep,” said junior Josh Danzig, a junior broadcast journalism major. As the head manager of WQAQ, the student-run Quinnipiac radio station, Danzig has a busy schedule. “I’ve been so busy with school and radio; I’ve been counting down the days till break.”

Other students already have long awaited plans for the week.

“I have my goddaughter’s christening,” freshman journalism major Lisa Odierno said. “I’m seeing The Cat in the Hat with my sister, and I’m eating lots of turkey and mashed potatoes.”

Aside from hanging around the house or studying, some students plan on using the break to get away.

“I’m going to Florence, Italy to see my boyfriend who is studying abroad this semester,” junior psychology major Katharine Wells said. “I usually just stay home and spend Thanksgiving break with my friends and family but I’m definitely excited.”

Professors also plan to travel during break to see family and friends.

“I will be traveling to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, where I will be relaxing on the beach,” Sean Duffy, associate professor of political science, said.

Once on the warm island, Duffy said, “I will bring some pleasure reading, build sand castles with my friends and their daughter, and begin to read up on India.”

Timothy Dansdill, assistant professor of English, is also going on vacation this break.

“I will travel to the coast of North Carolina and celebrate Thanksgiving, my brother-in-law’s birthday, and my own birthday with my spouse’s entire clan,” Dansdill said.

“I will run on the beach with my daughters, nieces and nephews. We shall collect shells and play Frisbee,” Dansdill said. “I will do some body surfing if the ocean temperature is above 60 degrees, and will emerge refreshed, despite the worried and startled looks on the faces of my family.”

Even while away from Quinnipiac, professors and students are planning on doing some work. While on break students will tackle their mounds of work.

“I plan on getting a little work done so I’m not taken back by finals and such,” Danzig said.

While students are spending their break studying and working on assignments, professors will be busy catching up on reading and grading.

“I will work on some writing. Oh yes, I will also be grading some long awaited student papers,” Dansdill said.

“I am hoping to bring as little school work as possible and use the time to relax and recharge my batteries, though I will, no doubt bring some papers to grade and some readings to review,” Duffy said.

As some professors grade and review class material, Karin Schwanback, assistant professor of journalism, is going to increase her knowledge on television producing.

“I will attend a day-long seminar Monday, Nov. 24, on using the TV producing system called ENPS.”

“I will probably start reading a new text for a new class I will teach in the spring semester,” Schwanbeck said.

Aside from class work, Schwanbeck said, “If I have any energy, I may do some work around the house, painting or something.”

Professors understand student’s need for time off.

“I think students should spend the entire week studying, just kidding,” Duffy said. “I think the way the fall semester runs, by November we all need some time to relax.”

“It is the perfect time for students to make gradual progress on preparing for their end of semester demands. A little time reviewing or working on that term paper during Thanksgiving will save a lot of stress in the two to three weeks following the break,” Duffy said.

“However, you should also take some time for yourself, so when you come back you are ready to hit the studies pretty hard for the final 3-4 weeks of the semester,” Duffy said.

Prof. Duffy offers some words of advice to students.

“Don’t do too much partying, keep some balance. Sleep at night, be active during the day. Spend quality time with your friends and family, but don’t come back from Thanksgiving break more tired and stretched out than you were going in.”

Some professors feel that the break will not be much of a change to student’s daily activities aside from the absence of classes.

“Some students will study and sleep. Some will study, sleep, and work. Some will sleep and work. Some will sleep, sleep, sleep. Vacation patterns, in other words, will not be unlike students’ normal academic patterns,” Dansdill said.

Whereas most schools get only a few days to celebrate this holiday, Quinnipiac gives students and professor’s a whole week. Naturally most students are delighted with the short break, and professors seem to agree.

“I am happy to have a full week. I believe Thanksgiving is a more important holiday period than the Winter Solstice, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanza, etc,” Dansdill said.

“I think there are pluses and minuses to a whole week. On the plus side, it gives an opportunity to go somewhere and totally change pace for a while. On the negative side, it does mean we don’t get any time between August and November to schedule a smaller break,” Duffy said.

No matter what your plans are for Thanksgiving break, whether you stay here in Hamden, go somewhere abroad, or just go home for the holiday, be safe and have fun.