Although Thanksgiving has passed, I believe that the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is centered around being thankful for everything that is wonderful about the world and our lives. It is for that reason that I would like to say thank you to the hard working and caring individuals whom most of us interact with on a daily basis: the staff of Peirce Hall.
Lots of other colleges and universities have awesome dining halls. I just recently visited my best friend at OSU, and their traditions at Scott Dining Hall felt a lot like Peirce on a larger scale: stations for different types of cuisine, an amazing dessert bar, and delicious food. However, I noticed something that was definitely different from my experiences at Peirce. The only way I can describe it is as more impersonal than the dining experience here at Kenyon.
Maybe it’s just because Kenyon is a smaller school, but I feel like the staff of Peirce Hall interacts with us on a genuine level. They always give a friendly greeting, frequently ask me and my friends about our days, and share about their own lives. Yes, they are paid to do their job, but they do it with a friendliness that you would be hard-pressed to find at your average fast-food joint or dine-in restaurant.
What blew me away more than anything, though, was the Peircegiving feast. I did not hear about Peircegiving until the middle of October, but once I learned of it, I was really interested. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and the opportunity to have an extra Thanksgiving with my friends here at school is amazing. However, I didn’t expect the extravagance that I experienced at my first Peircegiving. At the most, I initially expected a few traditional Thanksgiving foods at the comfort station in the servery. When I saw that Peirce was shut down for hours prior to the dinner and that a line had already formed at around 4 in the afternoon, I started to really get hyped.
Even with all of the hype, Peircegiving was still better than I imagined. There was green bean casserole, corn, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing, rolls, turkey, pies, cookies, cakes, and more! All of it was incredibly delicious, and the turkey was the best I have ever had (sorry, mom). The amount of effort that the Peirce staff put into this meal was clearly way above and beyond what is expected of them.
To conclude, I would like to simply thank the Peirce Hall staff and express how thankful I am that we have such wonderful people providing meals to us. The Peircegiving meal is a wonderful treat for all of the students, and I think it is especially important to the students whose families are unable to celebrate for any reason or for those who struggle with being at home for the holidays. Celebrating in a safe environment like Kenyon is so important for many students. So thank you to the Peirce Hall staff and all of the other members of the Kenyon community that make this place so magical and comforting. I am so thankful for you all.
Image credits: Elizabeth Heckler