It’s getting to be around that time of year. Students are peeling out of the campus garages for their long drives home. Your friends are packing for flights of see their families and here you are, stuck in your dorm or apartment. Being an out-of-state student has its pros and cons, but having to spend the holidays apart from your family is definitely one of the most challenging. Here are some ideas to make the best out of your Thanksgiving break without your loved ones.
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Have a “Friendsgiving” Potluck
Gather up a group of your closest friends – some who may be leaving town for the holiday or even reach out to someone you know who is staying in town! Contact a few classmates or even the cutie in your orgo class and invite them to dinner. Keep it super casual by asking everyone to bring their favorite Thanksgiving dish or take a step further and get your friends to cook the Thanksgiving meal together! If you want to get a little fancy, take a trip to the dollar store (every Collegiette’s secret weapon) and scour the racks for fun decorations for your apartment or dorm! After dinner, spend the rest of the evening playing board games or watch a movie like A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
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Community Service
It is the “season of thanks” and often times we throw around that phrase so lightly, but this year you can take that opportunity to reach out and help others! Whether you choose to volunteer at a soup kitchen, animal or women’s shelter or even a local school or church, you can spend your Thanksgiving by giving your time to the less fortunate. Volunteeer Match is a great online resource where you can find events and locations to volunteer based your personal interests and where you live. Simply type in what your looking for and get started, not only will you be making a difference in another person’s life for the holidays, but you will feel great about it too!
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Take a Mini Trip or Visit with a Friend’s Family
As out-of-state students we know how expensive and daunting it can be to travel home for the holidays, but a short trip outside of town is far more feasible than a $600 plane ticket. Consider Thanksgiving break as a mini vacay for yourself. Drive or take a bus trip to a neighboring town and explore the local gems! If you’re not into traveling solo reach out to your best friend, sorority sister or the lab partner you’ve had all semester, and ask what their plans are for Thanksgiving. Maybe you can tag along. Sure, you’d like to spend Thanksgiving with your family, but if your friend and their family have room in their home why not take the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with them! Make it a point to help out in the kitchen cooking that day or stand watch over the kid’s table. Your friend and their family will definitely appreciate it.
Not being able to go home for Thanksgiving can be rough, but there are tons of ways to enjoy the holiday season without feeling alone. If you can, set aside part of the day to call or video chat with your family back home. Whether you spend Thanksgiving with friends and their extended family, volunteering or on the road discovering your own college town remember all the awesome things you have to be grateful for this year!