For many students, Thanksgiving memories faded fast as they hit the books to prepare for upcoming finals.
LSA sophomore Jeff Soutar said he enjoyed being home and relaxing, but now he had to concentrate on school again.
"That's why I came back early, to catch up on all the stuff I promised myself I'd do when I was home," Soutar said. "I can't wait until finals are over."
Many students like Soutar said they took their books home with good intentions, but most were too busy visiting family and friends or catching up on much-needed sleep.
LSA first-year student Michael Cooper said the Thanksgiving break was hectic.
"I went crazy trying to see all of my friends at once. I got to see them all, but for very little time," Cooper said. "I might have read a page of my Buddhist book.
"No, that's a lie, that didn't happen. That was supposed to happen."
Other students had similar sentiments.
LSA junior Tiffany Matthews said she wasn't looking forward to doing work once she got back on campus.
"I'm mad I'm back 'cause I have to do research and study again," Matthews said. "I went to the library (at home) to attempt to do my research, but I ended up just reading."
Although most students went home for a long weekend away, a small minority stayed on campus.
Sung Park, who is originally from Seoul, South Korea, where her parents and siblings still live, stayed in Ann Arbor for Thanksgiving.
"I went to my aunt's house," said Park, an LSA senior. "She lives in Ann Arbor."
Park said Thanksgiving has always been different for her. She said she hasn't seen her family in Korea since last summer.
"I think I'm going to go home for next summer," Park said.
Eastern Michigan University senior Jose Coelhr, who is from Angola, also stayed in the area.
"The city was kind of empty," Coelhr said.
Coelhr said neither he nor his girlfriend, a University student, have family here, so they agreed to have dinner together.
Even though the campus was relatively empty over Thanksgiving break, some resident advisers had to stay in the dorms.
LSA junior Charmaine Judon, an RA in Alice Lloyd, remained on campus over Thanksgiving.
"Things can still happen," Judon said. "We had to be here just for the other people who were here."
Judon guessed that out of the roughly 600 residents in her hall, about 50 stayed for Thanksgiving.
"I was glad to be with my friends, but I would have rather been home," Judon said.
Judon also said she did not have to stay, but by covering her RA duties over Thanksgiving, she will have a better chance of going away for Spring Break.
Some University faculty members said they also remained in Ann Arbor for Thanksgiving.
Psychiatry and Social Work Prof. Edith Gomberg said she spent Thanksgiving Day with some of her family and a few of her colleagues.
"We do it sort of potluck," Gomberg said. "Everybody is responsible for a different dish."
Gomberg said she and her friends take turns having dinner at each other's homes and she is thankful for the time they have together.
"I have spent Thanksgiving alone and, let me tell you, family and friends are better," Gomberg said.