A late Thanksgiving means a longer wait for friends, family, food and relaxation. To save you and other collegiettes from inevitable pre-Thanksgiving break woes, Her Campus Bucknell gives you 5 Survival Strategies to maximize your time on campus before the holiday season – and to make the wait for turkey, mashed potatoes and pie a little more bearable.
1. Host a Friendsgiving Potluck Dinner
Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday to be thankful for family – you can celebrate with friends, too! If you live in the Mods, Gateways, Hunt Hall, or any dorm with access to a kitchen, host a Friendsgiving potluck dinner! Leave the guest list up to your imagination – invite friends from your freshmen hall, sorority, clubs on campus, and classes to maximize mingling! Then, ask everyone to bring a Thanksgiving-themed appetizer, main dish, or dessert. By asking everyone to contribute a dish to your holiday feast, you won’t be stuck in the kitchen all Sunday afternoon! Finally, organize your table setup! Keep in mind how much space you have in relation to how many people you are inviting. If you don’t have enough seats for everyone, put decorative throw pillows and festive placemats on your rug for makeshift tables!
2. Don’t miss out on Thanksgiving Dinner in the Caf
Even if you choose to host Friendsgiving in your Mod, don’t pass up the opportunity for a Thanksgiving feast in the Caf. This is the one time a year where all class years can come together and dine under one roof. Freshmen, take note: either plan on going with a group of friends early on in the evening or very late at night. Although there will be plenty of turkey to go around, its always a good idea to go at an off time to beat the Black Friday-like mad rush to the dessert table.
3. Get off campus
Its sometimes too easy to get trapped in the Bucknell bubble. Use the next week and a half before break to maximize your time on and off campus! Get involved in local charity opportunities by volunteering at the Lewisburg Community Garden. If you’re tired of the same old wrap from the Bison or salad from the Terrace Room, walk downtown to Pronto or Café Stream for lunch! Afterwards, explore the beautiful historic walkways and streets that Lewisburg has to offer and stop by at Zelda’s for a hot chocolate (with whipped cream) on your way back to class!
4. Tidy up your dorm room
There’s nothing like coming back from a fantastic Thanksgiving break to a clean, organized room. Talk with your roommate about what is and isn’t working in your room in terms of space, layout, and organization. Then, use your creative abilities to switch up the layout of your room, redecorate and reorganize your closet! While packing, go through your wardrobe to determine what you do and don’t wear. If you begin to bring clothing home in November, then you will also minimize the amount of suitcases you will need to bring back home for winter break. Cleaning up your room will make you feel more organized and prepared for finals when you return from break!
5. Be Thankful… for the Marts Tunnel
For those who have not mastered the underground hallway system beneath the quad, the time to do so is now. Sometimes brisk fall days at the Buck feel like winter. To avoid red cheeks, blurry eyes, and numb fingers, walk to class using the basement halls connecting Coleman, Freas Hall, Marts and Vaughn Lit. This tunnel will make you appreciate the walk to the LC, Academic West, or Rooke Chem a little bit more (and let your hands and cheeks thaw in the heat!).
So collegiettes, don’t let the pre-Thanksgiving break blues get you down. Be thankful that Bucknell and the surrounding Lewisburg community have so much to offer in the fall and during the holiday season!