Thanksgiving is a holiday filled with friends, family, food… and potentially some unwanted relationship stress. Here are four ways Collegiettes can avoid rocky times with their high school beau.
1. Set aside time to hang out one on one
Thanksgiving can definitely be crazy with having to juggle friends, family, and a long distance boyfriend, which is why it’s important to set aside time for just the two of you. Going out together with friends can definitely be a fun bonus but don’t skip out on the intimate time alone…it will certainly be long missed when you’re back in your respective universities! Agree ahead of time on a few fun things you can do together and stick to them once you get home. That way you’ll get the most out of your time together without having to worry about taking up too much of each other’s time.
2. Have a serious conversation about your relationship before coming home
While Thanksgiving may be the first or second time you’ve seen each other since leaving for college it doesn’t have to be the first time you hunker down and have a serious chat. A lot can change in two month and it’s important to make sure that both of you are on the same page on your relationship status. If you wait until Thanksgiving to tackle the issues you’ve been having the drama could last all weekend, leaving you both feeling insecure and unhappy by the time you have to return to school. Also, keep in mind that it’s important to be honest with one another. Think about how you’ve been feeling and acting at school and don’t put that all aside once you return home. Most importantly, don’t let old high school drama get in the way of you two enjoying each others company.
3. Spend time with your friends and respect each other’s space
As much as you’ve missed each other over the last two months your friends have missed you too. Don’t feel like you have to miss out on group dinners and parties to spend every single moment with your significant other. There are other important people in your life that definitely cannot be forgotten over the long weekend. Spending every waking moment together won’t benefit either of you so don’t freak out when he wants to spend a night with the boys. Plus, if he feels like he can’t balance his time well he is more likely to take this frustration out on you than on his friends. Be on the look out for this type of behavior and recognize when it’s time to spend a few hours apart.
4. Incorporate each other into family activities
Family can definitely get demanding over Thanksgiving break, but luckily lots of family members would be happy to get to know your significant other. Your parents are looking to maximize their time with you over this short holiday so in order to make them happy and also spend time with your man, just invite him along! Your family will love to see you in high spirits and will enjoy getting to know that special someone in your life. Also, don’t worry if he acts nervous when you first ask him to come along, it’s just means that he cares! Let him know that that having him there is important for you, and, most of all make him feel welcome. Being able to spend time with both your family and your partner is a big step, and if it makes you feel uncomfortable it could be a sign that something is wrong.
Good luck Collegiettes!
Photos courtsey of stuffgradslike.com and dailymail.uk.
Edited by Adriana Guardans-Godo