I know that the holidays are always an emotional time and with them, tend to come with a lot of introspection. There’s Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year all in such close succession that it’s nearly impossible to get a reprieve. After Thanksgiving, especially, is when a large chunk of my contemplation is done. By New Year, you’re supposed to already have a whole set of resolutions and goals for the upcoming year so it’s only natural that the thought process begins about a month in advance.
This year, I am incredibly, unbelievably grateful for my support system. My friends and family have been there for me, even in times that I’ve pushed them away. I have great friends both in college and back home who I know will always have my back and be there for me when I need them to. I think that’s why my college experience has undoubtedly changed, but somehow, still felt familiar and bearable during this past semester. It’s because even though I haven’t been out socializing, I still had my close group of friends that I knew I could turn to whenever I needed to feel like I had returned to normalcy.
I’d say friends are a close runner up, but the thing I’m most thankful for this holiday season is my family. From my parents to my siblings to my nephew, they are all the representative of all the love I have in my life and for that, I am extremely grateful. I was lucky enough to be able to be back home for Thanksgiving and it made me realize a couple of things. I’m a junior now and in my years at college, I’ve realized being away from my family for extended periods of time really puts into perspective just how important they are. It’s incredibly easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle of college during a normal semester and to some extent, this semester, as well. But it’s always important to make conscious efforts to remember where our priorities lie and for many of us, that’s in family and school.
This holiday season, I urge everyone to make an effort to think about what’s important in your life. This can be through working out or journaling or even just spending more time reading. Whatever works for you is the best method.
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!