No plans for Thanksgiving break? No worries. Use this week off to practice mindfulness, spend time with family… and maybe do a little (or a lot of) Black Friday shopping.
Read a book you’ve been putting off
We all have a book that’s been taunting us on our bedside table for months. Instead of watching Netflix, dive into a different world by reading a novel. Or, if you’re more into visuals, we recommend Joanna Gaines’ new book Homebody: A Guide to Spaces You Never Want to Leave.
Let’s be honest ladies, we all love the sense of accomplishment when finishing a book.
Black Friday shopping
Whether it be for yourself or friends and family, prepare for the holidays and stock up on half priced gifts. There are lots of ways to Black Friday shop if you don’t want to leave your house Thanksgiving night. Online deals are just as great, and you won’t have to push through a mob of people to get them.
Just be a kid again
Spend Thanksgiving watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, playing a family board game or looking through old family photo albums. There’s truly no place like home.
Clean out your closet or pantry
The holidays are the prime time to give to others. Donate to the less fortunate to make their Thanksgiving as enjoyable as yours. If you have extra essentials like towels, coats, or winter hats donate them to a child or woman in need at My Sister’s House in Atlanta.
You can also donate money to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. With every dollar, they provide four meals to families in need of food.
Rack up some work hours
If you have only been working weekends during school, now is your time to accrue your work hours. If you don’t have a job but want some extra cash, lots of retail stores are hiring in search of seasonal workers to help on Black Friday and the coming holiday shopping season.
Be a tourist in your own city
Whether you are going home for the holidays or staying in Atlanta, there’s always something new to find in your community. Take a day to stroll around the city and discover new restaurants, stores or parks. You may be surprised how much your city has to offer. Here is a list of things to do in Atlanta over Thanksgiving break.
Break out the holiday decorations
It’s never too early to turn on Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas album and decorate right? Head to your local Goodwill and stock up on low priced decorations. Or, if you already have decorations, let the holiday transformation begin!
We won’t judge you—the holiday season began for us on November 1.
Clean out your phone
If you’re like me and have 10,000 photos in your camera roll (mostly pictures of random people’s dogs) take a few hours to download it all onto a flash drive and delete it off your phone. You can also delete apps you don’t use anymore. This will free up storage space and your phone may even function a little better afterwards!
Additionally, if you’ve been putting off updating your phone, this is the ideal time to do it. (I.e iPhone’s have group Facetime with the new iOS 12.1.)
Listen to a new podcast
Podcasts are on the rise right now. Many Youtube stars are dabbling into the world of podcasts and we are SO here for it.
We recommend Gals on the Go with Danielle Carolan and Brooke Miccio or Pretty Basic with Alisha Marie and Remi Cruz.
Discover new music
Tired of playing the same old song? Browse Spotify or Soundcloud for some new tunes. There’s always a new album being dropped. I mean, have you heard “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande?
Take advantage of sunny days
Seasonal depression is a serious condition. Don’t let the fall blues get to you. Indulge in some vitamin D before the winter clouds and wind roll in!
Go for a hike at Kennesaw Mountain or ride around Atlanta on a Bird scooter. You will feel a lot better being active outside rather than laying in bed all day.
Experiment with your makeup look
Follow a makeup tutorial on Youtube and express your inner makeup artist. Experiment with bold lips, metallic crème shadows, and shimmering highlighters for a fun change to your everyday makeup look. We recommend watching James Charles, Nikkie Tutorials or Jaclyn Hill.
Do nothing at all!
Sleep in a few extra hours, treat yourself to a massage, or just rest your eyes! You’ve done amazing this semester and you deserve a break.