Dos and Don’ts of Thanksgiving Break

For many of us, it seems as if we’ve been waiting for Thanksgiving Break since before summer break even ended. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s been making a mental list of all the things I want to tell my friends when I finally see them! Even though Thanksgiving break is less than one week long, so much can happen in 5 days. Here’s a reminder of what you should and should not be doing on Thanksgiving break:

• DO set aside some time away from your family to see your friends

• DON’T ignore your family for the entirety of the break. I know you want to tell your friends everything about your crazy college experiences, but your family has missed you. Remind yourself how much you’ve missed your family too.

• DO relax and enjoy the copious amounts of free time.

• DON’T forget about the obligations you have back at school. Essays and readings don’t go away just because you’re off campus. If you have lots of free time, crack open a book. Doing schoolwork is a lot less daunting when you don’t have immediate obligations. Also, once you return to the reality that is college, you’ll be slammed with work. Spacing it out is crucial. Trust me. There will likely be some downtime between being with family and catching up with friends—capitalize on it!

• DO eat as much stuffing as your body can handle. It’s been a long time since you’ve had some nice home cooking—enjoy it while it lasts.

• DON’T forget to take care of yourself. The extra free time also means more time to tie up your tennis shoes. One of my favorite turkey day pastimes is throwing around a football with my dad! A little exercise could prevent that post-turkey sluggishness that plagues Americans everywher

• DO prioritize your closest friends. If you spread yourself too thin across all your high school friends, you won’t spend that quality time with those who matter.

• DON’T hook up with your summer-fling/ex/FWB. Getting a little too intimate might rehash those tricky feelings that can make you all the more homesick once you part ways again. But if they’re important enough to you, spend your time catching up.

• DO take advantage of the luxuries you don’t have at college. Appreciate a bed that isn’t tiny, showering without shoes, a dog you can cuddle with, and food that doesn’t come from the dining hall.

• DON’T forget how incredible Tufts is. Hopefully, your brief hiatus will encourage a longing for your shoebox dorm, amazing college friends, and incredible campus.

Eat all the turkey your body can handle, have fun with your friends, and enjoy being with your family. Have a fantastic Thanksgiving!