Some students’ Thanksgiving will look a little different this year as they spend their break on campus.
Opting for a less traditional approach to the holiday, many have decided to use the upcoming break for personal relaxation instead of hosting or attending big holiday gatherings like they would back home with their families.
“For this Thanksgiving, I plan to take myself to dinner after work and enjoy some well-deserved me time,” said Amani Weather, a third-year secondary English education major, who also plans to use this break to study, work, and engage in self-care.
Other students share similar sentiments when it comes to how their holiday will be spent.
“I think I am just going to hang out in my room and watch Christmas movies and get some food from the store so I'll have a little meal the day of [Thanksgiving],” said Malia Horton, a third-year psychology major.
For some students, non-traditional Thanksgiving has been the norm.
“Normally at home, I’m with my entire family and we cook a non-traditional meal like Mexican or Italian food and then just enjoy each other's company, so it will be a little different this year since I’ll be by myself,” said Weather.
Some campus organizations are rallying the community for the holidays. The Spirit of Love Service Project is hosting a Friendsgiving along with Mosaic, TheWISEOrg, Dream Defenders, Hearts of Harmony, and G.I.R.L. INC., to allow students to enjoy food, donate canned goods, make cards for their families, and play games on Nov. 22.
“It lets us start our own Thanksgiving traditions at school, and it’s such a special way to bring everybody together. It’s like a second family moment, full of good food and even better vibes,” said Katelyn Flowers, a graduating senior and entrepreneurship major.
Traditions constitute a sense of continuity in life and fill a person’s vital need for a sense of belonging, according to Psychology Today.
Self-care, friendship gathering, and taking oneself out to eat may not be what most are used to when it comes to the usual Thanksgiving gathering with family, but creating new ways to celebrate the holiday is how many students will start to make their own traditions for the future.
“It’s how we bond and it’s a way to create new memories,” said Weather, in regards to the importance of traditions when it comes to Thanksgiving.
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