For those of you who haven't heard, the season of Friendsgiving is here. This is no ordinary holiday celebration. With most colleges and universities leaving only a short week or less for Thanksgiving break, us students must use our time wisely. Grab your friends, grab some food, hop in the car and get away from the daily dining hall cuisine, Friday night frat parties, and push off all academic responsibilities until the Sunday study rush hits.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of venturing out to my friend's house in Asheville, North Carolina along with eleven of my best college pals. I had never really been on a "vacation" with friends before, so I had no clue what to expect. Along the way, I learned some Do's and Don'ts.
1. DO bring a good amount of clothes
You never realize how many different outfits you wear until you run out. Some days it will be cold and windy, and some nights you will be sweaty as heck from Just Dance and not want to wear any clothes at all. Bring plenty of socks, because who doesn't love socks? Also, if you're planning on taking a copious (SAT word) amount of pictures, you probably don't want to be wearing the exact same outfit in every picture.
2. DO take lots of pictures
Show off your friends, make everybody back at home jealous. Your Instagram, Facebook, and VSCO will be poppin'. Double-posting may or may not occur, but you shouldn't care what people who just stayed on campus for the weekend think about it. Also, if a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much are slow-mo Snapchat videos of a just dance sesh worth?
3. DO make a travel playlist
Nobody likes being in a silent car. Get some #ThrowbackThursday music on repeat. Some Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, Black Eyed Peas, and Beyoncé never make for a bad time.
4. DO maintain hygiene
Showering. Brushing teeth. Deodorizing yourself. Wearing somewhat clean clothes. All important. But don't worry about sleep. Nobody gets any sleep in college anyways. Sleep is for the weak. Just make sure you don't lose your friends all because you smell bad.
5. DO play fun games
Like I mentioned earlier, Just Dance is a MUST. In addition, getting some Cards Against Humanity going , creating an inside joke Charades game, and playing Telephone at restaurants are also necessities for any successful Friendsgiving weekend.
6. DO eat lots of food
Try the local cuisine. If you have a tour guide a.k.a friend who is a local, get them to take you out to all the best coffee shops, burger joints, and Asian restaurants (because fried rice). If you're worried about overspending on meals, you can share a meal with someone else and split the cost, and always remember to just order water.
7. DON'T spend too much time on cellular devices
Nobody likes that person who is on their phone instead of engaging in real life, human conversation. Requiring a phone stack at meals is a great decision. If your phone dies on 40 percent it's probably a sign that you need to put it away.
8. DON'T buy things just for fun
You will be tempted to buy stupid, unnecessary things. Maybe a corduroy fanny pack for a potential future music festival or two, or an overpriced Patagonia pullover just because everyone else on Earth has one, or a Calvin Klein denim hat for $39.50. But you've just got to hold yourself back. Save your money for more important things, like food.
9. DON'T worry about what you're missing back at college/home
Yeah, if it's not an official break, you might miss a couple of semi-formals or a toga party or two, but who cares? You are surrounded by your friends, and your friends only. It's rare to have such a special opportunity with all the conflicting schedules in the everyday life of college students.
10. DON'T complain
You will be sleep deprived. You will most likely be broke by the end of the trip. You may find yourself hangry and dehydrated. You might have to constantly squeeze in a car with one too many people and/or take a turn riding in the trunk. But it's all a part of the experience.
11. DON'T be afraid to have a good time
This weekend is for you and your friends. If you're worried about embarrassing yourself in the form of awful Just Dance-ing, off-key singing at the top of your lungs during car rides, or sobbing during the Gammy scene of The Proposal, then these people probably aren't good enough friends for Friendsgiving. But the more you open up and be yourself, the more fun you will have, and the more memories you will make alongside some great peeps.
Love you Phish. Thanks for another great weekend.
