Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year, aside from the annual celebration of my birth of course. What is it that makes us so excited for Thanksgiving break? Is it the concept of the holiday? The gathering of loved ones around a dining room table for a highly awaited autumn reunion? Or is it the smell of fresh turkey, bread stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, and warm pumpkin pie wafting from the kitchen through the house? Perhaps the feeling of immense fullness you get after consuming five servings of each Thanksgiving staple in record time? My vote is tied between reason number two and three (I love spending time with my family, and I’m a sucker for my mom’s home-cooked meals), but check out how the expectations of other college students for the upcoming Thanksgiving break compare to your own:
“I have no specific plans, but I want to get a group together to hit New York City to go to a bar or two, and have a low key fun night. However, I don’t like the idea of getting really drunk the day before I see my whole family and eat way too much food.”
–Gideon Pine, Indiana University
“For Thanksgiving eve, I am going to a party at my friend Nick's apartment downtown to reunite with old high school buddies. I prefer parties to bars in New York because the bars and clubs get too crowded and the cover is ridiculous.”
– Evan Shorr, University of Michigan
“I am attending a formal party in the Macy Building in Philadelphia. I am going with friends that use to go to WVU with me, as well as other people I haven’t see in a while. It will be nice to catch up and obviously go out drinking with them.”
– Scott Mayhew, West Virginia University
“For Thanksgiving Eve, I definitely plan on pregaming with friends that will be home for the break because it'll be nice to catch up on things. I definitely plan on going out to Philly to a few bars for the Thanksgiving Eve festivities. A few of my friends are planning on doing a bar crawl through Manayunk so I may partake in some of that. I also plan on going to the Sumo Lounge in center city since my uncle is a co-owner of that place, and they will be having a Thanksgiving Eve event Wednesday night. I would just like to spend time with my friends, drink, and have fun. It's a great way to relax, and start off my Thanksgiving break. The best part is that I have nothing to worry about doing the next day except stuffing my face with turkey.”
– Gavin Wang, Temple University
“Every year over Thanksgiving break, my group of friends from high school gets together to celebrate our friend Imani’s birthday, since it always falls during the break and gives us a chance to get together. This year, though, we’re finally all 21 and will definitely be moving the celebration to the Village Pub, where everyone from our high school goes out the night before Thanksgiving. I’m excited to finally be able to join in the reunion that occurs every year at the pub and to catch up with people I haven’t seen in years. So much small talk and alcohol to be had!”
– Jess Fromm, Lehigh University
So it appears that first on everyone’s Thanksgiving break agenda is, unsurprisingly, the excessive consumption of alcohol. After all, we are in college and Thanksgiving eve is one of the biggest bar nights of the year, so I guess that makes the festivities more than acceptable. Whether it be partying, hanging out with family or seeing old friends, make sure to use this time to unwind from a crazy semester. Eat, drink, be merry, and have a delicious Thanksgiving!
Photo: poirpom at flickr.com
