Finally! Thanksgiving break is right around the corner. For the most part it’s an exciting time because there’s no class, lots of food, and plenty of time to sleep! What more could you ask for? Of course there will always be the awkward family encounters and lingering thoughts of all the assignments you’ll have to do before you return to campus, but don’t worry. Here are some tips on how to survive this upcoming break.
Prep.
Before you leave for break look over your syllabi. If you use a planner make sure you write down any assignments that will be due the week you come back. There might even be some you can get out of the way before you leave campus. Not only will this free some time for you during the break, but it will also clear your schedule for the return week. There’s nothing worse than coming back to school already stressed out.
Smile and nod.
We’ve all experienced the awkward round of questions that seems to happen at every family function. Thanksgiving Day will be no different. You will have to get through your immediate family and then deal with every other family member that decides to stop by. “How’s school going? Where’s your significant other? What are your plans after graduation?” You might want to have some basic answers prepared before the day even comes, but worst case scenario just smile and nod. Half the time there are so many people talking that everyone will move on and forget you nodded your head ‘yes’ to a question that wasn’t even yes or no!
Make plans.
Thanksgiving break might be the first time you’re getting to see some of your friends since going off to college. A few months of college has surely given everyone a story to tell. Try to make time to meet up with a few friends to catch up. It will be refreshing to see some familiar faces, especially if you were getting a little homesick!
Don’t Procrastinate.
Although we want to look at the break as more than enough time, it really isn’t. A lot of professors like to assign projects over the break thinking you will have plenty of time to work on it, but what happens when all 5 of your professors have the same idea? Set aside a little time to work on assignments. Even if you don’t get them all complete, it will cut down your workload for that Sunday before class.
Be thankful.
Though this break may be busier than you expected, you should still enjoy your time. Be thankful for family, friends, food, and most of all — no 8 a.m.’s for a while!