Congrats, Oles! You’ve made it through the past few months, and now get five well-deserved days off to kick back, relax and enjoy the company of friends and family to celebrate Thanksgiving. Whether you’re staying on campus or returning to your hometown, don’t just sleep through the holiday! Between feasting on home-cooked meals or playing a game of football with your buddies, here are some fun ways to spend your time off.
1. Go Black Friday shopping
Whether or not you actually intend on buying anything, everybody should experience the Black Friday phenomenon at least once in their lives. If you get aggressive you can snag some great deals, or you can just sit back and watch all of the middle-aged women throw elbows over the last pair of size 9 boots.
2. Eat a home-cooked meal
Even though St. Olaf is ranked as having some of the best food in the nation, nothing quite compares to a good homemade meal enjoyed in the company of friends and family. If you’re stuck on campus, many professors are opening up their homes to students looking for the comfort of some home-cooked chow.
3. See Catching Fire in theaters
The second installment of the Hunger Games trilogy hits theaters November 22, so gather a group of friends and go watch Katniss and Peeta take on the Capitol. Bonus points if you dress up as one of the characters.
4. Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Tune into the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at 9:00am EST to watch elaborate floats, massive balloons, hit singers and marching bands from all over the nation make their way through the streets of New York City. Some of this year’s highlights include performers Ariana Grande and Austin Mahone, the NYPD Marching Band, and a “Big Apple” float featuring various New York City landmarks.
5. Have a pie-eating contest
For a holiday that revolves around eating, why not go all out and see which of your friends can stomach the most pie? Gather beforehand to bake the pies, and then set a time limit under which the pies must be eaten. Warning: this activity may be accompanied by a stomachache and/or a strong urge to nap.
6. Serve at your local soup kitchen
While all of us Oles are fortunate to have a roof over our heads and food to fill our stomachs, not everyone in our communities have these same luxuries. Spend some time over break volunteering at your local soup kitchen, and help give back to the families in your area.
Photo Credits: Black Friday, Food, Catching Fire, Macy’s Parade, Pie-eating contest, Volunteering, Cover picture
