pumpkin pie with NYU carved into it

With the CDC recommending that Americans not share a Thanksgiving meal with anyone outside their immediate household, this holiday break will be an atypical one for many. And while nothing can replace travel or gathering around a table with family and friends, the days off still offer an opportunity to rest, reflect, and recharge. For students who are staying on campus over the break, the Center for Student Life has compiled a complete guide to which NYU offices and services will be open, how to pick up a Thanksgiving feast from NYU Dining, and New York-specific activities to enjoy. Below, we've added a few more suggestions for cozy, seasaonal ways to make the most of the time off—wherever you are—while keeping each other safe.

1. Enter Our Coloring Contest!

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Choose your favorite from among our selection of NYU-themed images, then download, print, color, and email the finished product to nyustories@nyu.edu for a chance to win an NYU sweatshirt. The contest is open to all students! Learn more.

2. Wish Beethoven a Happy Birthday

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Steinhardt's piano studies program is hosting a virtual festival with streamed performances, lectures, and master classes running through the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth on December 18. Learn more and access recordings.

3. Get Creative in the Kitchen

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In response to the stresses of COVID-19, NYU nutrition and art therapy grad students collaborated on a cookbook that includes ideas for mindfulness, restoration, and recovery activities—plus fun recipes for families to tackle together. Even more recipes for the community are available on the nutrition and food studies website.

4. Listen to the Black Women Who Shaped Rock and Roll

collage of black woman artists against a vinyl record background

Professor Maureen Mahon, author of Black Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock and Roll, prepared a playlist of songs by these pioneering artists. Read an interview with her.

5. Learn How To Uplift, Support, and Be In Solidarity With and Across Native and Indigenous Communities

NYU CMEP has compiled Thanksgiving resources for how to support and take action in solidarity with Native people who are still fighting for their sovereignty, resisting oppressive systems, and challenging all of us every day to reimagine our ties to the land and each other. 

6. Give Back

NYU Service has gathered a list of virtual volunteer opportunities, from helping with scientific research to making wellness calls.

7. Watch the Parade—in Your PJs

Crowds won't be lining the route in person this year, but the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will still air Thursday at 9 a.m. on NBC. See a lineup of performers and more.