With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many students are trying to find a way to celebrate with their friends before traveling home to family. There are many ways that people will have friendsgiving gatherings, however, I personally think the best are the ones that are quiet, small, and filled with food. Here are some tips to having a relaxed, yet fun friendsgiving!
1. Manage your guest list
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The best friendsgiving events are usually on the smaller side. This gives everyone a fair chance to talk, and it could be a relaxing escape from the business of school. Set a limit on the people that you are going to invite, and only invite your closest friends or a group that you feel like will have a really good time together.
2. Set up your menu before the event
Be sure to check in and write down anyone who has dietary restrictions and make sure that you have an option that is suitable for them! The best friendsgiving have a variety of foods, and while cooking may be hard in a residence hall, there is most likely a kitchen you can use to finish your prep. Not every good meal is going to take a lot of cooking, you can purchase pre-made foods such as rotisserie turkey, frozen vegetables, and pre-made mashed potatoes from a deli. Pasta is also often a good option to have, and all it takes is some sauce, a pan, and water!
3. Have a ton of game options
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When hosting, it is always good to have a variety of games to play throughout the night. A personal favorite of mine is the Jackbox Party 3 application. This comes with games that can project onto a tv (or you can play by watching off a laptop). Each player uses their phone to participate in each game, and they all have different themes and objectives! Up to 8 people can play at once, and if there are more people they can chime in with votes as an audience member! Other party favorites include Cards Against Humanity, UNO, Catch Phrase, Heads Up, and more!
4. There MUST be dessert
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Dessert is often overlooked at college events. Many will just have brownies or cookies and call it a day. However for a good friendsgiving it is always important to take that extra step and get something good! Pies and ice cream are always a great combination, and you can’t go wrong with a small cake for everyone to share. While these can be homemade, there are many stores that sell them all pre-made that are just as yummy!
5. Set up a cozy space
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In a dorm room or small apartment, it may be difficult to find a good place to host others. For something like friendsgiving, a good way to set up a space would be to make is as cozy as possible. This will be great for playing games, making your guests comfortable and really getting to be close and spend time with the people around you. All you have to do is get creative with pillows and blankets! Whether it be a common room, living room, or dorm bedroom, putting blankets and pillows around for your guests will be a hit. Candles also have an amazing ability to set the mood in a room, and if your dorm doesn’t allow them the fake bulb ones work just as well.
Friendsgiving is something fun that anyone can celebrate. Bringing together close friends for a meal and games will bond you all together even more, and set up for a fun and relaxing night!