In my opinion, Thanksgiving is extremely underrated. It is the time of year when you get to celebrate all the great things in your life. You also get to eat amazing food with family and friends while telling everyone about college. And while that can get annoying, it shows that there are always people who care about you. But before you go home to your family and hometown, it’s important to celebrate all of the people at college that make every day so great. It’s important to not only study and focus on classes, but to also celebrate all the things that make college so great. And what better way to celebrate than with Friendsgiving festivities!
First, as a college student with minimal access to kitchen supplies, it’s time to get creative. The essential college Thanksgiving food is the Pillsbury Thanksgiving-themed sugar cookies. Sold at any grocery store, these cookies (in my opinion) are addicting. Everyone loves them, and just baking these will have everyone appreciating you, so gather up all your friends and find an oven in someone’s dorm. Even if you all have more midterms to study for, or school work to do, grab your computers and sit around the table. It’s something so simple, but it makes you realize how much you enjoy your friends’ company and makes schoolwork so much more bearable.
Second, plan a day for a Thanksgiving meal. This time of year can get insanely busy while people prepare to head home for the break, but try to clear one afternoon. While no one can cook a full Thanksgiving meal in a college dorm, you could attempt to make a few of the smaller sides, or just head to a local restaurant (not too expensive, of course) that’s preferably not the dining hall. But in the end, it doesn’t really matter where you have this meal. It matters about making the effort to spend time with the people who do so much for you each and every day. Whether you go to your local Chipotle, Gyro place, or even just a Starbucks, sit down and just spend time together. Go around and say what you are most thankful for! This is always a fun tradition that makes people realize just how much good there is in their life.
Third, watch your favorite Thanksgiving TV show episodes together. Gossip Girl‘s drama showdowns in their Thanksgiving episodes are my personal favorite. But Rachel’s trifle in the Friends Thanksgiving episode is equally as iconic. Just grab a computer and watch a show while you think about how much food you just ate. It can be a time just to relax and decompress from the weeks of school stress that has been building up.
So enjoy the day and spend time with the people you love. This time of year is so special because you can make so many people feel cared about. The people who we spend our time with during Thanksgiving are what makes it so special in the end. Hopefully, if you follow one of these traditions or create one of your own, it can become something you look forward to each year!