Thanksgiving is just days away and everyone is excited for a break from classes, but what we're not excited about is an entire weekend with family. Sure, the first few hours are great, but once the novelty wears off, you're setting a countdown for when these people will leave your sight. This doesn't happen with friends, which is why Friendsgiving is infinitely better than being with family. Here are seven reasons why Friendsgiving really is the gift that keeps on giving.
1. No travel
You don't have to load up the car and squeeze into the backseat on your way to Friendsgiving. While you walk over to your friend's house with pumpkin pie in hand, you're not thinking about having to share the futon with your sister or worried about your weird cousin asking you to borrow your toothbrush again. At the end of Friendsgiving, you can rest assured knowing that your own bed is only a few streets away, ready for you to dive into with a full stomach.
2. Greetings
No one expects you kiss your friend on the cheek. When you walk into your Friendsgiving dinner, a simple "hello" will suffice. You might give out a few hugs or a high-five, but these are completely voluntary. At family Thanksgiving, you're expected to scour the room and greet everyone with some form of physical contact, even though there are plenty of family members you would like to keep your lips away from.
3. Choice of Food (and how much)
Your friends won't care if you don't have a single vegetable on your plate; in fact, they will encourage you not to eat one. Mom isn't there to make sure you eat some of the dry, lifeless green beans Aunt Shirley made and, more importantly, she isn't there to limit your consumption. Your friends don't judge you when you're on your way to a third plate and there are no disapproving glares when you go in for round two of dessert. Actually, if you listen close enough, you can hear your friends cheer you (and your stomach) on.
4. No Defeating Questions
Your friends know you failed your exam last week and they know you haven't spoken to someone of the opposite sex all semester. At family Thanksgiving, you have to fend off these questions about your grades and love life from your aunts and uncles, but there's no need for that at Friendsgiving. You can enjoy your conversation with your friends without being berated by Grandma because you'll "never give her grandchildren."
5. Drunk Friends are Better than Drunk Family
Even though you love hearing your family scream politically incorrect jargon across the table after they've all had a few drinks, you'd rather watch your friends dance to Justin Bieber's newest album. Being around drunk friends can also lead to other fun activities later that night, but a drunk family always ends in Grandpa falling asleep on the couch and your mom crying that no one appreciates her.
6. Uncensored Conversation
You don't have to watch what you say at Friendsgiving. You're not worried about offending Grandma from dropping a few eff-bombs and you don't even have to think about talking politics with your overly conservative aunt and uncle. At Friendsgiving, you can say what you want, when you want, and how you want without the repercussions of a scolding look from your parents.
7. Friends are your chosen family
You might not get along with or like everyone at the table during Thanksgiving, but everyone at Friendsgiving is there because you want them to be. You're choosing to spend your time with these people and you don't dread seeing their name card next to yours. Getting through a dinner without internally screaming at someone is a huge deal, and it's easily done when you're with your friends. These are the people who will go halves when you want another taste of pie and won't be mad when you burn the turkey.
Friendsgiving is the best, and don't let your family tell you otherwise.
