Due to the great college separation, Thanksgiving is a little more exciting this year. With our first college midterms and assignments, we may feel a little more homesick than usual. My friends and I held our first Friendsgiving last year and although it was a little rushed and unplanned – but it still turned out great. We graciously got the same days off in our school calendars this year, and we decided to do it again.
If you and your friends haven’t done Friendsgiving before and don’t know where to start, here are my top 5 tips for the best Friendsgiving one can remember and cherish.
1. Pre-planning
If your friends are like mine and are indecisive and go back and forth on everything, I suggest preplanning for about two or three weeks. Pre-planning for anything always helps to avoid too many catastrophes on the day of. Planning out things such as who is invited and who is the most reliable to bring things, will make the day go better.
2. Picking The best house
If you are like me, my house has become the designated house for group hangouts. Deciding where to host Friendsgiving can seem difficult, but with careful planning it can be a breeze. For example, once I was chosen to host and some negotiation with my mom, the plan was set. I spent two days cleaning and polishing every little nook and cranny in my house. My apartment is smaller than most, so don’t ever be embarrassed or shy that you aren’t the right house to host.
3. Who brings what?
In my opinion, this can be the easiest part of the planning process. Hopefully everyone who is attending the Friendsgiving is honest and reliable and knows what they can or can’t bring. My friends decided on a theme for our food, which was food from our culture. Since I am Hispanic, specifically my family is from Central America, I made pupusas and tamales. One of my friends who is from Ghana brought Jollof. Some people who weren’t able to make stuff brought desserts like cupcakes and cookies. Don’t forget some soda and juice!
4. After-eating activities
Now that you are all done feasting, you may have some time left on your hands. There are multiple activities you can do with your friends to make up for lost time. My friends and I watched a movie, but you can also play fun party games. TikTok has many ideas such as, “head, shoulder knee, cups” or a classic game of Uno doesn’t hurt anyone. After eating is also a great time to catch your friends up on your college life. I will be making a talking stick for my Friendsgiving this year to make things a little funnier.
5. take pictures so the moment lasts longer
Finally, take photos. Bring a digital camera and feel free to take a picture of everything, aesthetic or not. Maybe set a dress code for the theme for the party. Photos mean so much to me, not even just for Instagram, but for photo albums or to hang on your dorm wall. I love looking back at photos to show you friends at college or for your future kids.
I hope you found this helpful and I wish you the best Friendsgiving one can have. Make sure you eat lots and hug your friends a little tighter before you go!