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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I couldn’t help but reflect on the best aspects of my favorite holiday. Each year, I count down the days until my entire family is gathered around my dining room table. Here’s what I love most about the holiday: 

1.) We host

I like to think I have a hospitable personality because of how my parents treated Thanksgiving. It was the holiday that we hosted at our house each year since I was a child. I helped my parents cook, clean and prepare weeks in advance. My parents were big advocates for manners growing up. My brother and I would take our family members’ coats, offer them a drink, and catch up with them. This holiday taught me how to be a good hostess and make people feel at home. 

2.) Food, obviously

It’s not a shock that I love Thanksgiving because of the food. My favorite item on the Squires’s Thanksgiving menu is my aunt’s garlic mashed potatoes. As a college student, I have a newfound appreciation for Thanksgiving because of the delicious leftovers the holiday yields. Last year, I returned to campus with containers full of pasta, potatoes, and pies. It was enough to feed me for days after, and it certainly beat the dining hall food. 

3.) Football

As a football fan, Thanksgiving is simply perfection. This is as American as it gets. Especially since I went away to college, I do not have many opportunities to enjoy football with my entire family. Thanksgiving changes this. I get to be sandwiched on the couch between my dad and cousins, as we laugh and cheer. 

4.) Friends from HOME

Thanksgiving offers me a brief, but precious, hometown reunion with all of my friends who went away to different colleges. We are all on different schedules, and it is challenging to coordinate breaks. Thanksgiving is a universal time for me to say a quick hello to friends that I may not have seen since the summer.

5.) Fall weather

There’s no better feeling than being in your comfiest flannel and warm clothes with a full belly and a chill in the air. Thanksgiving is the epitome of fall weather. 

6.) Gratitude

All holidays have a purpose or meaning behind them, though I find Thanksgiving’s to be the most important. It forces me to slow down and recognize all that I am grateful for. My family did a “thankful tree” growing up, in which everyone around the table would write what they are most grateful for on a paper leaf and hang it on a decorative tree. My parents would keep it up for weeks, long after Thanksgiving dinner had ended. It allowed me to think about all I had to be grateful for. I think there is something so powerful in being deliberately grateful alongside all of your loved ones. 

Katie is a Junior at St. Bonaventure University. She is an executive board member for Her Campus at SBU. Her experience with social media, advertising, and writing allow her to combine her passions and advance her university's chapter of HC. She has been a part of Her Campus since freshman year. It has been her favorite on-campus extracurricular to become involved with. Katie is currently studying Strategic Communication and Marketing. She finds joy in being involved on campus through various organizations including Her Campus and Jandoli Women in Communication. Katie is both an Orientation Leader and a Peer Coach- she loves welcoming new students and helping them transition to college. She is also a full-time student ambassador who enthusiastically leads tours for prospective students. (Request her as your tour guide!) In her free time, you can find Katie reading, hiking, and laughing with her friends. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the fall. Her kryptonite is iced coffee. Some of her favorite artists include Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, and Noah Kahan. Her favorite show is New Girl. Katie will eagerly engage in any conversation about her beloved hometown, Buffalo, New York. She will likely attempt to convert you to become a Buffalo Bills fan, and could talk about Josh Allen for hours. Post-grad, Katie hopes to be using her creative talents towards a fulfilling career in the world of advertising.