Ah, the holidays! The time of the year I hold so near and dear to my heart that manages to simultaneously fill me with incomparable joy and also give me palpitations. To put it simply, the holidays are stressful. First, you kick things off with Thanksgiving––a never-ending round of 20 Questions from each of your family members that leaves you itching to crawl into your bed and fall into a serotonin-induced slumber. Then the temperatures drop, the streets are filled with glittering lights, and the scent of gingerbread wafts from all the local bakeries. It’s magical until you realize that you’ve got a gift list longer than Santa’s, and no time/money/stamina to make it through Black Friday shopping. My heart’s already pounding at the mere thought of the check-out lines at Madewell.All jokes aside, buying presents is actually my favorite part of the holidays. But, you know what isn’t? The awkward conversations. And the holiday season brings plenty of those. This year is going to be quite a challenge since I’ve had a lot of big changes in my life these past few months. The forecast predicts curiosity with a chance of being asked the same questions repeatedly by multiple family members. And deep breaths. Lots of deep breaths.
I’ve always kept a low profile when it comes to sharing things about my personal life with my extended family. I’m used to quietly savoring my stuffing and cranberry sauce while the rest of the family grills the unfortunate sibling or cousin who just got a new job or has a new significant other. This year the tables will most likely turn, but I’m determined to keep my cool. Sometimes rapid-fire rounds of questions have the unfortunate effect of raising my temper, but I’m determined to reign in those emotions and answer everyone’s questions with as much poise and grace I can muster between bites of pumpkin pie.
I truly love my family so much, and I promise I’m not as salty as I may sound about talking with them. It probably won’t even be that bad. Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that I look forward to every year since it gives me the slightest feeling of having a break right before the whirlwind of finals blows through December. I get to go home, eat great food, and spend time with my loved ones— who could ask for more? I get to see lots of familiar faces around the Thanksgiving table––some that I haven’t seen in quite a while––and embrace the peaceful moment with them. Sometimes it just sucks a little when that chill time is disrupted with the one exam you can’t possibly study for: the “how are things going with XYZ?” test that usually ends up having two extra bonus points and a not-so optional long-essay question.
It can be rough out there at the Thanksgiving table, and for anyone else who knows they are in for plenty of long chats about how college life has been treating you, I commend you, soldier, and want you to remember that we’re in this together.
Photo Credit: @elkieart
In honor of this momentous occasion, I have created a playlist for the tired and the burned-out who are trying their best to put on a brave face and get through this meal without leaving a trail of tissues behind. After a six-hour plane ride (that got delayed, of course), you’re probably in no mood to talk to anyone, but Aunt Sarah wants a detailed account of all of your classes and extracurriculars and you feel too guilty to say no since she sent you a birthday card this year. The Beatle’s “I’m So Tired” starts playing in your head as you take her through your schedule. Slowly, the song fades out into Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” and you think to yourself, “Alright, this isn’t so bad if I just go on semi-auto pilot for a bit.” But, then the anxiety hits as you realize that you have an essay due in less than a week and haven’t even begun to think about finals. Uh oh. Cue “From the Ritz to the Rubble” by the Arctic Monkeys, which is the perfect angsty, freak-out jam. After another bite of grandma’s famous cranberry-pecan pie, all is well in the world again (at least for now) which reminds you of the line from Kali Uchis and Tyler’s collab, “After the Storm,” that goes “I know times are rough/But winners don’t quit/So don’t you give up.” Now that’s the attitude!
Thanksgiving can feel like a mental marathon, but I know we’re all going to get through it. There might be some tight moments with lots of eyebrow-raising and awkward pauses, but you’re going to take them like a champ. Because no one wants to get a text from mom the next morning forcing you to apologize to Aunt Sarah for snapping. Despite all of the trials and tribulations of this time of the year, at the end of the day, it’s all about reuniting with your loved ones and feeling grateful that you get to spend some quality time with them. I’m not one for having personal mantras or anything, but if there’s one thing that I am going to keep repeating to myself, it’s less attitude, more gratitude.
xoxo,
Emma :)
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