Halloween came and went this year, and the La Verne residents quickly torn down their spooky décor in favor of autumn color patterns and turkey themed adornments. Thanksgiving is the average college kid’s favorite holiday. For one, it is the calm before the storm as finals week approaches. Secondly, all the best stores have huge sales at this time. Lastly, it is the time where they can eat consistently for free! Recently college students have decided to take Thanksgiving into their own hands dubbing it “Friendsgiving”.
“Friendsgiving” is exactly how it sounds, giving thanks to your group of friends. Friends select a day around the holiday when they all will meet up and cook traditional Thanksgiving dinner. After celebrating my fourth and possibly last college “Friendsgiving” I realized that this was one of the many things that my college experience worthwhile. This holiday gave me memories, friendships and best of all free food. Here are the top 5 reasons why I would recommend celebrating “Friendsgiving”.
- It’s a great preview for Thanksgiving.
College students love going home for Thanksgiving break to be greeted by family, home town friends and the aroma of great food. However, waiting until the end of November becomes tiresome and tedious. Having a pre-Thanksgiving dinner will lower the anxiety of waiting. Some people do not typically celebrate Thanksgiving the way others do. This is a great opportunity to learn about other’s traditions and what they do to celebrate this holiday.
- You actually control who and what comes to the dinner.
Even though Thanksgiving brings you family members that you have been looking forward to catching up with, it also brings those that you were not that excited to see. Everyone has that one cousin or uncle that drives them crazy because you have to act like you like them out of the sake of the family. Not here at “Friendsgiving” though. You and your friends control who goes and more importantly what they bring. Another Thanksgiving fault is that person who insists that they can continuously make their traditional Mac and Cheese that however makes the whole family sick. Not here! You decide who makes what and how they make it.
- Cures your college blues.
College is rough around this time. You are officially broke and your job is barely becoming tolerable. You also are fighting to keep that grade and regretting not making that class a credit/no credit option. This is the time where all college kids are giving up. Something like “Friendsgiving” reminds them of their worth and what college is all about.
- Free Food
Like I said previously, college students are wiped. At the sound of free food, you guys come knocking down everything in your path. This is the one time where you are invited to your fully controlled Thanksgiving dinner. You can make and eat your own food and enjoy others in the process.
- You always will gain something new.
You will gain laughs, traditions, memories and so much more. These are the days that ease your experience into getting that diploma. After a while you realize what Friendsgiving is all about, being grateful for the people who are brought into your life by chance or luck. Your college friends are not obligated to be your brothers, sisters, chefs, shopping partners, counselors or anything more. They decided to be that person in your life and therefore we have to be thankful for the people who deal with our crap for free.
Photo from Chute Gerdeman.