While the so-called dreaded holiday season blankets upon us, college students near and far begin to shudder at the thought of seeing their extended family members.

I am not one of those students.

Maybe it's my uncle's perfect turkey, the annual family photo where my cousin pinches the unlucky soul standing next to him, realizing that my cousins are actual skyscrapers and I am the size of a grape, or maybe it's sitting at the kid's table at 20-years-old, still fighting over who gets the last bit of the mac 'n cheese. Whatever it may be, my heart explodes with joy every holiday season.

I come from a relatively large family, and I love it. We were fortunate enough to grow up near our cousins and grandparents, and be there for every birthday, performance, sporting event, and graduation. It helps that my family is all close in age, and we are all generally in the same stage of life. This is why I love the holidays. At every gathering, there are traditions that I have not seen a year without rib -crushing hugs, and so much life to catch up on. Family means the world to me, and I am proud to be part of a big one.

I do not know who I would be without being "that girl with the big family".

Growing up, and even still, I've always had the biggest fan section in the auditorium, on the sidelines, or in the bleachers. People that didn't know how large my family was, they would see this, and assume I had 15 brothers and sisters, and at least 4 moms and dads. To be truthful, I pretty much do. I confide in my aunts and uncles like I do my own parents, I fight with my cousins like I do with my own sister, and I laugh with my grandparents like I do with my best friends. When I talk about cousins, I do not mean just my immediate first cousins. My definition of cousins includes my second cousin, and yes, even my newborn third cousins. My extended family is nothing short of immediate family that just happens to live in a different place.

Holidays are about giving thanks to God for the blessings you have had the past year, sitting around a warm fire pit with cold noses, laughter that rattles your soul, and the overwhelming feeling of love that wraps everyone up in its arms. The dreaded drive home from school is worth it when you are driving to a family as big, wild, and loving as mine.

All of this to say, I come from an embarrassing, goofy family that I would not trade for the world. I thank God every day that I get to hold them all a little closer each holiday season as the smell of pumpkin pie, warm stuffing, and apple cider fills the air. I'm proud of the group of people that raised me, those I was raised with, and who each of my family members are today. Thank you for setting me apart from my piers that hate going home for the holidays.