1. The first most obvious reason is that there are no classes for three full days. Let me repeat no classes. Those words are the highlight of any students’ year. And for the lucky ones Thanksgiving break lasts an entire week. This is the first real long break of the school year and we are so thankful. Midterms have just gone and the stress from that alone has caused some such roaring headaches and breaks in mental states that some tranquility right now is greatly needed.
2. We get to go home. No matter how many times you go home it is always great to come back flop in your bed and enjoy just being home. There is no word to describe the sensation that overcomes you when you see your house, then you see the door to your room and as you open the door your bed seems to call out to you like an angel ready to envelop and protect you. The feeling is even better if during break this is the first chance that you got to go home. Being in the neighborhood you grew up in walking around the house with all your mementos, the familiarity of it all is calming.
3. Seeing family and friends is one of the greatest aspects of Thanksgiving. If this is your first time away from home the idea that you get to see your family is overwhelming. For all intents and purposes you are hella hyped. Seeing family after such a long time brings about this joyous feeling. Who wouldn’t love being around people who love you and seeing friends who haven’t gotten the chance to see since mid-summer? Now that takes the cake. Falling back into familiar patterns, having the opportunity to joke and catch up.
4. Food! We cannot forget the main joy that Thanksgiving brings. I’m not afraid to say that most college students do not cook on a regular basis. Even if they do nothing ever compares to home cooked food. In college it never seems like you are getting your full nutritional needs, maybe because the food sucks, maybe because you don’t have time to buy real food, or maybe it’s just because nothing can ever match your favorite dish from home. So the opportunity to go home and stuff yourself, yes we are very thankful.
Oh, and when you come back to school, don’t forget the leftovers!