Kylee Deering | Contributing Writer
The campus hums with the buzz of Thanksgiving break on the horizon. Talk of plans fill the air as students discuss where they’re going for break and the foods they can’t wait to eat. Maybe you’re most excited to dive in to the turkey or see your family for the first time in weeks. But you know inevitably, with family comes all of the rather exasperating questions, silly quirks and your weird Uncle Joe with his pants unbuttoned to make room for another slice of pie. So if you can’t wait to get home this Thanksgiving but aren’t sure how to survive the whole holiday, here’s your how-to.
1. Offer help in the kitchen when your mom and grandma are making food and running around like chickens with their heads cut off (the only bird with no head this holiday should be the turkey). If you help out, the faster the food is done and the less you have to deal with mom’s frantic pace.
2. Answer your family’s questions about how college is going and if you’ve got a boyfriend or girlfriend yet and how your grades are doing. I know, you’ve answered the same questions approximately 164 times now, but humor them anyway. They like to hear about your life and you won’t have to answer the questions again until Christmas!
3. I understand that your weird Uncle Joe has asked you about a million times to play football in the backyard… after he’s already sprung a surprise wrestling match on you to show that he was the best wrestler in high school and he’s “still got it,” but humor him too. Round up the other cousins or play some catch because let’s face it, by Christmas it’s too cold and he won’t ask again. This is the only time he’s going to beg you to play and he’ll still be talking about it at the next Thanksgiving. So make his year. Who else’s entire year are you going to make anyway?
4. If your family is anything like mine, they’re likely to get into some sort of argument over politics or something ridiculous like which is better, margarine or butter (and yes, this example is dead serious… I wish I was kidding) and want your input. In this case, sneak off to do that “super pressing homework you didn’t quite manage to get done before break that’s incredibly important to have done right now.” I’m sure the whole thing will blow over by the time you finish up.
5. There’s always that one person in the family who prefers a certain part of the turkey or dark meat over light meat or whatever the case may be. If they don’t get their preference, the whole dinner is ruined. Am I right? Suggest this year that they go first through the line. They get what they want before everybody else and you don’t have to listen to the constant complaining the rest of the day.
6. Be grateful for the day. Even though your relatives may be kind of annoying sometimes, give thanks because you’re healthy enough to be celebrating, prosperous enough to worry about being too stuffed, and lucky enough to have loved ones to share the holiday with.
Graphic/Photo by Dee Friesen
