Get your tastebuds ready — after a long fall semester, Thanksgiving break is only a few days away. It’s almost time for quick turnaround travel, taboo table talk, good eats and familiar company. Whether you’re spending break near or far, here are some of the most iconic moments destined to befall your Thanksgiving next week.
1. Manufacturing an extended break
Thanksgiving recess starts on a Wednesday every year, much to the chagrin of University students who would rather enjoy the week off. Most professors predict low attendance on Monday and Tuesday and either cancel class, abbreviate a lesson or record the lecture — so why bother holding classes at all? Though the nonsensical scheduling of Thanksgiving-week classes may weigh students down, it doesn’t stop some of us from defining our own terms for break. Congratulate that one friend who leaves for break today — they’ve either finessed their schedule in such a way that they’re not missing much, or they’ve adopted a “my break comes first” attitude.
2. Managing travel tizzies
For many, Thanksgiving is a time to visit family across the states and abroad. For those of you driving home for break, brace yourself for traffic. Highways will be filled with Turkey-Day travelers, so make sure you’ve got a solid playlist to keep the ride bearable. For those of you opting for locomotive transportation, don’t count on Amtrak’s timeliness — there will almost definitely be some kind of delay, so download some mobile games to play while you wait. If you’re traveling by plane, you’re going to have a lot of time to kill once you’ve checked your bag, passed through security and walked to your gate. Try reading a book — or falling asleep with one on your lap. I know I’ll be cracking open a classic mystery thriller from Dan Brown.
3. Perusing the parade
There’s always that moment on Thursday morning when you suddenly remember that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is on, and regardless of your thoughts on the quality of this programming, you can’t help but flip it on. Once you’ve sat on the couch to watch, you become entranced by the goofiness of the parade and the festive energy on the streets of New York, and it’s difficult to look away. Whether you watch for the floats — I hear Minnie Mouse will be making an appearance this year — the Broadway performances, the pop stars or the high school bands, there truly is something for everyone.
4. Setting the mood with football
It’s uncanny, the way the football game finds its way onto our screens in the background of the chit-chat of Thanksgiving afternoon. I know it's no accident, but the game feels like it’s part of the Thanksgiving ambience. Having the game on can be somewhat of a necessity, either for that uncle who must know the score at all times, or for an easy conversation starter with that relative who you don’t know too well. The Thanksgiving game also presents the perfect opportunity for rookies to learn the rules of football — once the wine starts flowing, people are generally in a good enough mood to want to teach you. This Turkey Day, tune into an NFL game or watch our Hoos as they take on Virginia Tech.
5. Serving sides
The best part of the Thanksgiving dinner spread is undeniably the sides. Look, turkey and turducken are fine and well, but you know them and their predictable ways — their generally dry, bland taste, only palatable with a smothering of gravy. The real “mouth-waterers” are the sides, whether they’re a longtime staple of your Thanksgiving menu, or they’re trials of New York Times Cooking recipes that have mainstay potential. When I make my plate on Thanksgiving night, I’ll plop some turkey onto my plate, but I'm really excited to scoop some marshmallow sweet potatoes and cut a slice of pumpkin bread.
6. Preparing for the “what are you thankful for” circle-round
Brace yourselves for one of the most predictable of all Thanksgiving traditions. If all of your family and friends are laid back and just want to have an organic conversation, then lucky you — you are a rarity. I think most of us have that one dinner guest who, every year without fail, asks everyone to share what they are thankful for. While the question is on theme, there seems to be this pressure to craft the best, most thoughtful and most original answer. I make sure to think about multiple answers the Wednesday before so that I’m prepared.
7. Changing the topic after that awkward conversation
Oh, how we look forward to the inevitable discussion of politics at Thanksgiving. There’s certainly a lot to talk about this year, what with the election and the recent news from Washington. If the people at your dinner table are all over the political spectrum, buckle up for a bumpy ride. Even if your guests are politically aligned, I hate to say it, but I doubt you will make it out of dinner unscathed. There is always that one stand-out, socially inappropriate comment that prompts a much-needed change in conversation. Keep a few harmless talking points in your back pocket — my go-tos are encouraging my younger brother to explain his science fair project and discussing new movies that are coming out. If I’ve exhausted these options, sometimes I’ll even share what I want to do after college. Scary.
8. Game planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Shopping is no laughing matter from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2. It’s an honorable undertaking that requires the utmost preparation, from drafting lists to mapping out where to shop. The latter is what requires the most strategy — should you dash from one store to the next, or stay in one store and zig-zag through the clothing racks? Neither is for the faint of heart. For a more relaxed way to shop, stick to online vendors for Cyber Monday deals. Regardless, get your shopping carts ready — it’s go time.
9. Doing something memorable outside of dinner
Thanksgiving break isn’t just about Thanksgiving. You’ve got a couple of days off, so spend some time doing something fun with family. Enjoy the crisp air and walk through a Christmas lights display — or stay in and watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving if the cold isn’t your thing. Head to your favorite restaurant Friday night and rejoice in your favorite entrée, or break out the board games for a competitive game night. This break, I’ll be decorating my house for the upcoming Christmas holiday and heading to the movie theater to see Wicked with my family.
10. Preparing for the end-of-semester chaos
Break comes at both the best and worst time of the semester, and it’s only during break that this realization hits you. The end-of-semester grind has most of us itching for an escape from work, and for this, Thanksgiving break lands at a great time. Nothing beats the carefree attitude you adopt at the start of break because, well, you’re on break, and you’re spending time with friends and loved ones. However, once Thanksgiving has passed and you approach Saturday, fear strikes as you recall all of the projects due the following week and final exams looming ahead. Channel your calm and call upon your grit — winter break is only a few short weeks away.
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