Thanksgiving is so wonderful for so many reasons: the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and giving all college students a week of vacation. Don't get me wrong, I love college and will miss my friends during that week. But, there is nothing like getting to pack up a big bag of clothes knowing you will be back at home sweet home for a full week. In addition, getting to see everyone that you have missed so much is a bonus! Since it is a week, it gives you an opportunity to see friends and actually spend an extended amount of time with them. Also, Thanksgiving is an automatic way to see all your extended family again without having to take multiple days out of break to go and visit them. Not to mention, break means no work. Put all those papers and textbooks away for 5 to 7 days and enjoy time away from the pressures and stress. All this makes me count Thanksgiving break twice when I count my blessings.

It is a perfect time in the semester to have Thanksgiving break. It has been several weeks now since Columbus Day weekend, so there hasn't been an extended period of time away from college. Thanksgiving is well deserved at this point in the semester. After those papers due last week and last minute exams, Thanksgiving is earned for each and every college student. We all deserve time to close our laptops and step away from the endless hours of work throughout the week. In addition, when we return from break, it is crunch time with finals and classes. Thanksgiving break allows us to regain strength for the next four weeks.

With all colleges sending students back to their hometowns for break, it is a perfect opportunity to see some high school friends. It has felt like a really long time since I've been able to see all my friends together, but Thanksgiving break is ideal to rekindle those old friendships. It is always fun to hear about people's stories and personal experiences at college.

Thanksgiving is an automatic way to get all the family things out of the way too! They will all be full of questions but after three months of college, I'm sure you have LOTS to talk about. It is sad that in college you don't get to see extended family as much as you did in high school. So, when the rare opportunity to see all your family on a special day like Thanksgiving, it is definitely something to take advantage of.

Thanksgiving is such a special holiday for so many reasons. It brings people together to sit around a table full of delicious food. But, even though the food and people are great, the fact that there is no school for a week just cannot be overlooked. It is the first time all year that we have been able to fully take a deep breath and submerge ourselves back in our hometowns with friends and family, far, far away from papers and college pressures.