Katherine Daniel ~ Editor in Chief
We recently came back from Fall break a couple weeks ago and all I can think about is how much I am looking forward to Thanksgiving break. While fall break was a few days to relieve the stress I had with my midterms and all my assignments, it definitely was a tease. Fall break is just a taste of home for a long weekend, but just as soon as you adjust being home for a long weekend, it is time to go back. I cannot help but look forward to Thanksgiving Break and here are a few reasons why.
- Reuniting with friends that have gone off to college and that you have not seen since you went to school is a great thing to look forward to. Some of my friends stayed home and did community college or started to work, but others went off to colleges all across VA, so it will be good to see all of these people during the week that I have Thanksgiving Break. Going from seeing each other every day during the summer and on the weekends to only seeing them on break is hard, but it makes each break that much more special. While facetime calls and snapchats are great, nothing beats seeing them for the first time in months and picking up where we left off. Whether we pick up with gossip sessions, go to the mall, or brunch dates, nothing is better than spending time with friends we can only see during major break. Some people grow apart while away at school and do not stay in touch as much, so have a Friendsgiving or do something special with your friends and bring back the strong bond and friendship that you had even if the distance and growing up has not come between. For me, my best friend stayed home and went to community college and work, so it always good to come home on the weekends and spend time with her and go out and do stuff together. The good thing is my best friend and I are also going Black Friday shopping on Thursday evening after we get done with Thanksgiving dinner.
2.Spend time with your family. Thanksgiving break is a great time to spend with family, whether it is close family or extended. I love to spend Thanksgiving with my mom, but she gets less time off on break than I do, so I tend to spend the days with her that she is off. It is a time where we are thankful for spending it with family and could not be more ideal. Family is everything, and Thanksgiving could not be more of a perfect time for that. Give your relatives an extra tight hug or simply tell your family how much you appreciate and love them.
3.Self Care. The best part of Thanksgiving break is the time you get to relax and enjoy yourself. It is a perfect time to engage in self-care, whether it is watching endless hours of the Hallmark Channel, catching up on sleep, going to the nail salon, working out, or shopping, there are so many things you can do. With the stress and busyness of school and work, self-care can easily be forgotten, and this a time to establish a routine or get back into one. This break could not be more perfect since finals will be here in two weeks. Take advantage of the time to take care of yourself for a routine for finals week. It always important to have self-care for yourself but self-care during a time as stressful as finals is vital and very essential.
- It is not too late to do the fall activities you said you were going to do. Many people think that October is the time do all of the fall things, but you can still do all of the cute things that you made a list to do for the fall. The weather will have the perfect fall air and fall clothes will most definitely be in so that you can get that cute Instagram photo. You can also make those fall sweets you want to make like apple cider, pumpkin pie, or apple donuts. Make a wreath for your door for Christmas while you are on break and do things that you have had on a list for you to do.
5.The semester is almost over and it is so close. College is hard. It is stressful, demanding, and requires a lot of time management but you know what? You are doing it! Thanksgiving break is a break but it is also a time where you know that finals are coming. The week of exams is where all your limits are pushed and you work harder than you have before. Thanksgiving break is the last stop before that week and the end of the semester; it is an accomplishment. At this point, you are more than halfway through the full year of college and you are almost done with it. There is no better feeling than getting through the first semester of college because it starts to get harder as the years go on. For me, it is one step closer to my senior year which is exciting. Thanksgiving break is a reminder that you are almost done with another semester and your hard work is paying off. Use this break to celebrate that you are almost there. This will make you have a positive mind set.
Remember to take advantage of every minute you are home as one day you will not have a Thanksgiving break like this or any type of extended break. It is a special time and just enjoy it and make yourself happy!