It’s that time of year again: pretend Thanksgiving doesn’t exist and start singing Jingle Bells. I love Thanksgiving and would like to take this opportunity to ask all college students to stop and think about all the great things in their life. Sure, you failed that history exam and pulled an all nighter to write the biggest piece of BS of your entire educational career; but what about the Red Bull and Starbucks that helped you through those hard times? What about your comfy sweatpants that you wear when all you want to do is veg out on a Sunday? There are plenty of things out there for every college student to be thankful for. Here are a few of them.
1. You don’t have to fill out college applications/wait for acceptance letters
Thousands of high school seniors are still searching for recommendations, taking last minute SATs, and siting by the mail box waiting for letters that determine their future. We’re done! No more Common App. That in itself is cause for celebration and thanks. So before you start complaining about your 2 hour final exam, remember that the SAT was like 5 hours long; with no study guide.
2. Short commutes/walks to class
You time it out the first week of class. It takes you 10 minutes to get to the history building. It only takes 5 minutes to get to your first Monday class if you take the stairs. Walking times to class can either make you or break you. Be thankful for your shorter commutes in the first semester. Snow and ice automatically add time to your walk no matter how close your class is next year. So put away the cute booties and slip into some snow shoes. Winter is coming kids!
3. Care packages
It is the best feeling in the world to get a care package from someone. You feel loved, or full from all the homemade cookies your mom stuffed in a Ziploc bag. Your roommates hate you for it, but you share because the cookies put you in such a loving mood. Now everyone’s happy and thankful that your mom can make a mean chocolate chip cookie.
4. Skype
Skype. No one ever thanks Skype for all the great video chats you have with your significant other, or the hilarious tutorials you give your parents on technology while they try to talk through a web cam. Without Skype I’m pretty sure half of all college students would miss home way too much. Seeing your mom, even through a computer screen, can somewhat relieve even the worst case of homesickness.
5. Netflix
Oh Netflix. I wish I could send you a muffin basket or something to show you how much I appreciate you. I see us as close friends. You let me watch Paul Rudd in Clueless whenever I want. You introduce me to great TV shows. You even let me relive my childhood with all the Disney classics at my fingertips. I stay up all night thinking of ways to thank you for all you do, but then I get over it because I remember I pay for your services. That doesn’t mean that we don’t love you. We are all thankful for your existence.
6. The dollar menu at McDonalds
You may stuff yourself at the Thanksgiving table, but that won’t sustain you until finals. Plus, you’re sick of the dining hall, not that it even matters because you are out of meal swipes. What to do? Lucky for you, McDonalds has their very own college menu. Some people call it the dollar menu, but it is a very specific menu tailored to the limited nutrition intake and shallow pockets of the average college student. If you are hesitant to get fries with that, just remember that you can’t eat any more than you did on Thanksgiving. No shame.
7. Internet Connection (When you actually have it)
WiFi has a very shaky relationship with every single college student. It comes and goes, unlike our undying need for it. When you do have a strong internet connection, take a moment to remember how happy and thankful you were. These memories will help you through the nights when you can’t connect to anything and all you want to do is throw your computer out the window, because without WiFi you will fail out of college and cease to exist in this world. (This is terrifying and TRUE.)
8. Double spaced papers
Oh no! A 10 page paper! Don’t freak out, bless the paper gods that everything is double spaced. You can’t even remember a time when single spaced papers were a thing. So type those papers in single space and when you are finally done, hit command A and the glorious double space button, and watch your paper transform from a short response to a passing grade. Thank you to all those teachers out there that have horrible eyesight or wish to write comments in between the lines. College students everywhere salute you.
9. There is a break between semesters (and it’s in a few weeks)
We are so ready, right? Winter Break is kind of the best thing ever. It’s a break from work, classes, and homework. Home cooked meals everyday and sleeping in are the dream. Let’s be thankful for the fact that college has this long break. High school starts the new year so early. We can sit back and relax as all the children go to school and we can watch our cartoons in peace.
10. Canceled 8 am classes
It isn’t a myth. It actually happens. If it happens to you, be thankful for that time that you didn’t have to walk to class in pitch black and wonder about your life choices and if college was really for you because you just aren’t a morning person. College was the right choice though, because without the 8 am you can crawl back to bed and sleep without making fake vomit or trying to fake a temperature. The best solution to this problem, though, would be to just go to sleep earlier. (Not that you will.)
Thanksgiving is great and it breaks my heart when I hear “Holy Night” before we sit down to the dinner table and thank everyone and everything that has helped us survive these long 18-22 some odd years. So put the gingerbread cookies down and grab some cranberry sauce, because it’s time to pay respect to all those great things that you love!