To be honest, if you are not looking forward to Thanksgiving, I am currently judging you. Not only is it the last nice break before the hell which we know as Finals week, but it is also a chance to unwind and fill up on all of your family's food that you have been deprived of for too long. 

It was not until my first year of college that I realized how special Thanksgiving break can be to my general mental health. At this point in the semester, I am usually overloaded with the never ending weeks of midterms and the multiple philanthropy and social events that come with the fall season. The October and November months are the particular time when college students can get very wrapped up in being college students, and it is quite easy to lose track of keeping in touch with family and friends from back home. 

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reconnect with everyone that I have not given enough thought to during this part of the year. It's a time when I get to reminisce with my parents on my childhood holiday memories while they finally get the chance again to fill up my stomach with such wonderful holiday food. It is also a time when most of your friends will all be home at the same time. This gives you the opportunity to catch up after minimal contact during most of the Fall semester. 

For those who come from abroad and have never experienced a Thanksgiving before, it can still be a wonderful bonding experience. Yes, there may be a lot less nostalgia then with people who have been celebrating Thanksgiving all their lives, but there is so much that can be done during this break. You can bond and have a potluck at your apartment with all your friends that can't get home this year or even spend those few days with your new friend from school who is open to share her holiday experiences with you. 

Even for those of you who are a little freaked for finals season, Thanksgiving break should be a time to just forget about homework, at least for one day, and think about all there is to appreciate about your life experiences. The Thanksgiving holiday may be the same every year, but what is truly special about the holiday is what you make of it. 

And for those of you who feel like there aren't enough activities to do during Thanksgiving, here are some fun ideas:

1. Watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade as soon as you wake up on Thanksgiving.

2. Help cook or set the table with your family to show you aren't just there to eat (while also picking at the dishes every chance you get). 

3. Eat tons and tons of apple pie, green bean casserole, and most importantly, the king turkey.

4. Relax lazily on the couch from your food coma as you watch the Thanksgiving football games.

5. Attempt Black Friday Shopping with your favorite shopping partner for some crazy deals.

6. Go on a photoshoot of the autumn scenery before it's too cold to hang outside. 

7. Work on silly crafts with your friends as if you are still in Girl Scouts.

8. Look through old family photos and see how much has changed.

9. Binge watch all the shows that you have been neglecting during your midterm weeks.

10. And finally, forget for a little while all that awaits you when you return to school.

Thanksgiving is logically a time to appreciate all the things and experiences we are fortunate enough to have, and we should really take the time to be nostalgic of all of our old experiences and blessings.