Falling leaves. Cornucopias. Food. And that one uncle that pinches your cheeks customarily, whether you’re nine or nineteen. That’s fall break. That one magical, blessed week at the end of November that begins the holiday season. I will say, though, that even though carving a huge bird is still at the forefront, the anticipation towards this week definitely changed between high school and college:
Eyebrows
Ever since Anastasia hit with her Dipbrow, keeping the brows “on fleek” has been on trend. Granted, if one forgoes the painful process of tweezing each hair individually, there are threading and waxing options that can do the job too; as long as you’re ready to sell your soul and commit to visiting the salon every two weeks. This really wasn’t a huge issue back in high school. I’d see my eyebrow lady every two weeks and I took her for granted. College showed me that an eyebrow lady is a luxury that just isn’t available everywhere. Living hours away from home meant having to prolong the grooming process- which got quite, uh furry, quite quickly. Thanksgiving Break was a time to rush home and get those bad boys threaded before anyone I knew saw me.
Homework
There was a time when fall break was just what the name suggested: a time to sit back and relax amidst what had more than likely already proved to be a stressful academic year. I could afford to push the backpack in some corner the Friday I came home and let it collect dust until the Sunday before school reopened. Now, fall break is a time where my back is breaking- under the weight of all the looming deadlines and exams that await me as soon as I step foot on campus. If anything, a week off from my classes presents me with an opportunity to camp out in my local library without having to worry about my 9 a.m the next morning.
Food
I know, I know. Who doesn’t think about the food when coming back home for Thanksgiving? I will say that during high school, I too dreamt of the stuffing and the apple pie and the dollops of mashed potatoes that would be served that Thursday. After months of salty, greasy, unhealthy residence hall food, however, I’m not sure that artery blocking Thanksgiving fare is on the top of the list for things I’m craving once I’m home.
Black Friday
Ah. Shopping at witching hour armed with a switch blade and pepper spray--what’s not to love? All jokes aside, there’s no debating that running into stores that night gave me a certain kind of adrenaline rush. Sure, there are people that much rather would enjoy the blockbuster deals of cyber Monday from the comfort of their beds. In my opinion though, the feeling of victory you have when you hoist that last flat screen above your head is far greater than any joy you’ll feel after clicking the “place order” button. Not to mention, with all of us poor after paying college tuition, who doesn’t like a bargain?
