Thanksgiving is finally upon us: college kids everywhere are heading home, parents are eagerly awaiting, and those of us (including me) who aren't fortunate enough to go all the way home are turning green with envy. All everyone can think about is how excited they are to not have classes for a few days and stuff themselves with turkey. Wherever your holiday takes you, here are some tips to having a break that's worth remembering.
For starters, you will probably have a decent amount of travel time if you're going out of town. Take advantage of that! Get some of your school work out of the way so you don't have to cram Sunday night to finish it all. Or, if you happen to be blessed enough to not have school work to worry about, pick up a book and get do some leisurely reading. Just unplug for a while and be productive.
Once you reach your destination, take in your surroundings. Really appreciate where you are. If you're at home, go visit all of your favorite locations, and try to find some new places to explore as well. If you went anywhere besides home, go adventuring! Wander around the city or town, go for a hike, or find the best local coffee shop. The possibilities are endless, and this is the only time you'll have to explore them until your next break. Enjoy being off campus; don't let yourself waste your break watching Netflix inside.
Thanksgiving is a time to spend with the people you love. Your break is short, so try appreciate the quality moments you get to spend with friends and family. Whoever you spend Thanksgiving with, let them know how much you care about them. We all have crazy relatives that can be a bit tricky to put up with sometimes (if you don't, you're probably the crazy one), but they're family and the crazy is what makes them fun. So, enjoy it. Head to the kitchen and catch up with the people you haven't seen in months as you bake pies together. Additionally, make sure you call the ones who you won't be seeing to let them know you're thinking about them. Let the love flow.
If you really want your break to be memorable, you have to get out and make some memories. The best stories come from taking risks, so go do something a little crazy. I'm not suggesting you do something that will get you arrested-- seriously, please don't do that-- but definitely get out of your comfort zone. Go talk to that cute stranger, do a polar plunge in the nearest lake, take the train to the next town over and wander around by yourself. Brave the mall on Black Friday, and bring back stories of the sale-crazed shoppers. Whatever you decide to do, make it fun, make it silly, and make it something you can tell your friends about when you get back to school.
Finally, it's important to remember what Thanksgiving is really all about: being thankful. Take some time to reflect, and think about what you love about your life. Appreciate it! Oh, and don't forget to enjoy the home-cooked meals; we can all be thankful for that.
