Sometimes, Thanksgiving can be an overlooked holiday. There’s often more love for Halloween and Christmas, and turkey day doesn’t always get as much attention. This year, I’m extra thankful for everything in my life. I’m burnt out. Work, readings, essays, projects — this semester has been a lot. The past week, I’ve found myself looking forward to Thanksgiving break more and more. But it’s not just the absence of classes that I’m excited about. It’s the reunions with family and friends and having a chance to reflect on how lucky I am to be here with so many amazing loved ones.
Last year, we all had to spend Thanksgiving in quarantine. I was lucky enough to see my grandparents (from afar) for a little while that day, but it still felt far from normal. I’m used to spending every year with my whole family with copious amounts of food and combating the general chaos of screaming children and adults alike. I missed someone making my grandmother’s stuffing recipe, and the family’s beloved pecan pies. It was hard not being with them for the first time in my life. I am more than ready to spend the holiday with them once again. I’m thankful for my family every day, more than words can say.
It was windy last Thanksgiving. The air was cold and whistling past the windows, making the already unusual day feel even eerier. I talked to my friends over the phone, all of us sharing how much we wished things would get better soon. It’s hard to think that only a year ago, it felt like we’d never return to normalcy. But here we are, finishing our first semester back on campus, and I’ve never felt so grateful for the opportunity to be here. Sure, college is hard. The classes can feel overwhelming at times and it can be difficult to drag yourself to early morning lectures. Yet I’ve come to realize that it is all worth it. There have been multiple moments in the past couple of months in my classes — talking about Chaucer and the beauty of Robert Frost poetry — that I felt so truly lucky to be here having these conversations. I’m thankful for such incredible professors who nurture our education, and for my peers who push me to try my hardest.
By far, the best part about being back on campus has been spending time with my friends. I am thankful every day that the roommates I randomly got placed with freshman year became my best friends. Having the chance to live together again and take on the world has made me incredibly happy. I’m able to come back from class and complain about exams and essays to them, and they can vent their frustrations to me as well. We are all exhausted at this point in the semester, but we’re pushing through together. Saturday nights spent together decompressing and having fun are very much needed at this point in the semester. One of the hardest things about quarantine was not being able to go out with friends, whether that meant dinner together or watching a movie and laughing until our stomachs hurt. There were moments it felt like I would never be able to experience the full potential of my youth again, but nature is healing, and I’m thankful for every moment I get to spend with my friends.
The pandemic has taken an incredible toll on my mental health, as it has for so many other people around the world. We’ve had to experience isolation and loss, battled against illness and fear. It’s taught me how important it is to value all the wonderful things in life. I’m thankful for my family, who are always there to love and support me no matter what. I’m thankful for my friends, who show me how to have fun and understand me better than anyone else. I’m thankful for good poetry, romantic movies, and the tacos from my grandfather’s favorite restaurant. This Thanksgiving — finally able to reunite with our families — let’s remember to truly be thankful for all that we have, and to hug our loved ones a little tighter at the end of the night.