Why Thanksgiving Will Be Different This Year

It's that time of year again.

Everyone is going back home to see their families, people are flying out of state to visit extended family members, and some are simply getting away to spend some time alone. Regardless of the situation, it's important to remember the core of this holiday.

It's a time to be thankful for the simple things, and for college students especially, it's a break from the constant email updates, text messages, and checking our social media feeds every 5 minutes. The real reason we're all heading home is for some actual face time. Thanksgiving is especially important this year because it's the time to rekindle your relationship with others.We get to be in the same room as people we haven't seen in months and talk about what's been going on in our daily lives.

Yes, technology does help connect families who are long distance, but if you do get the chance to be in the same room, why waste the opportunity choosing to interact with the phone you see every day when you wake up? Sit down with your grandparents and remember that it's not up to them to be tech savvy; it's up to you to know how to genuinely talk, interact, and listen. Try reserving places as a "No Tech Zone" such as car rides and the dinner table to get in that important interaction with your friends and family.

These days, it's very, very easy to look down at your phone and pretend to be busy and avoid confrontation, but if you're faced with having to actually make eye contact and can't find anything to say, don't let your first instinct be to look down and Google what good conversation topics are. Instead, simply speak from the heart and start with why you're thankful for those in front of you and not what's buzzing in your pocket.