With Thanksgiving season dying down, I am reminded that this was my first Thanksgiving “away” from home. Of course, like most college students, I’ll be going home for the holiday, but it ultimately doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving this year.

Growing up, I used to hate Thanksgiving. It became the pre-shopping food binge that my uncle, cousins, and I would go on before heading out for Black Friday shopping. I never really enjoyed sleeping at my grandmother’s the night before to help cook. I hated all of the old movies that graced the television every Thanksgiving-- and I am specifically talking about March of the Wooden Soldiers. I absolutely hated the wait from the start of the parade to the time my family would all start arriving.

But this year something has changed. And I truly believe it’s because I went away to college. I am so excited to see all of my family and get to spend time with my mom, sister and grandmother. I am excited to “watch” those crappy movies that my Grandma forces everyone in the house to watch, despite the fact that the parade began 10 minutes ago.

I am excited that there’s a whole day dedicated to not doing anything besides seeing my family, and then going out shopping with a select few afterward. I am excited that I get to spend almost 6 days in my hometown seeing family and friends.

It’s all surreal because, if a year ago, you had asked me if I liked Thanksgiving I would have laughed and said, “absolutely not!” These past few months away from home really allowed me to see the true meaning of Thanksgiving. That not everyone can see their families every day or every week like I used to be able to, so every moment spent with them should be cherished.

While I still hope my Thanksgiving is as exciting and memorable as I am hoping it will be, I know that it will be 10 times better because I got to come home and spend it with my family. So now, I am definitely counting down the days until Thanksgiving and reminding myself to be grateful for my family, even when I get overwhelmed when Thanksgiving does arrive.