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The Smart Collegiette’s Guide to Thanksgiving Break

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.

Wow, can you believe we’re already more than halfway done with the semester? With midterms, papers, and just being physically and mentally exhausted, many of us are super thankful that Thanksgiving break is just around the corner. But don’t mentally checkout just yet! There’s still a lot to be done and thanksgiving break is the perfect time to get yourself organized and ready for the last few weeks of the semester! Here are some helpful tips and reminders for things to do before and during the break.

Figure out your necessary Spring Semester courses. Class selection for the spring is coming up, so make sure you load up your cart! Don’t forget to mark your calendar for when your appointment date/time is. Now is the perfect opportunity to look up your required courses, find the right professor, and pick the best time slots. If you have a late appointment, try putting extra or back up classes into your cart in case your other ones become unavailable.

Start looking for summer internships. Summer may be awhile from now but applications and deadlines for summer internships are something you should be looking into. Thanksgiving break is a great time to find the right internships and to get those applications started. Don’t wait until the last minute! Starting this process early means your winter break will be significantly less stressful.

Hit the gym. Stay committed to your workout routine and give it 110% before break. This way, you don’t have to feel too guilty for pigging out on all the turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy during Thanksgiving dinner.

Make a list of things you need to bring back to school from home. For those of you who don’t frequent home too often, this is your time to bring back some essential items. Consider things like your winter coat, sweaters, boots, or anything you need for upcoming events.

Start your Christmas shopping list. After Thanksgiving, Christmas will only be a month away! Make a list of people you want to buy gifts for and also some potential gift ideas. Don’t forget that Black Friday is during the break, so try to get some of those presents squared away!

Catch up in your classes. It’s not too late to turn things around if you aren’t doing so hot in some of your classes. Thanksgiving break is the perfect time to catch up and get ahead! Calculate how you are doing so far for each class and make a solid game plan to get your ideal grade.

Reconnect with friends. After countless times saying, “I miss you, we need to hang out when I’m back home,” the opportunity has finally come. Don’t miss the chance to hang out with friends you haven’t seen since the summer! Swap stories about the craziness that has happened so far this semester (like your Halloweekend festivities, perhaps?).

Count your blessings. With the drama, the stress, and mayhem, we tend to forget all the wonderful things in our lives we should be grateful for. Show your parents, friends, and those important to you that you appreciate them!

 

I hope you lovely collegiettes have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to relax and enjoy your break!

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Julie Tran

U Mass Amherst

Julie Tran is a current senior majoring in Psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and Campus Correspondent of the Her Campus UMass Amherst chapter. She is a Boston native and has lived in the town of Brighton for the majority of her life.Julie works part-time as an administrative assistant at the Student Legal Services Office on campus. She is also the Co-Founder and Vice-President of Ed2010 at UMass Amherst and a certified Rape Crisis Counselor. Julie doesn't have any solid plans for the future yet but wants to pursue a career in marketing. Her life goal is to travel the world, live in New York City at some point, and have her own business.
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Deirdre Cusack

U Mass Amherst

I am a senior Communication and English major at the University of Massachusetts. I love music, food, dancing, my friends and family not in that particular order but preferably at the same time. I am an avid reader and have always had a passion for writing. I have an incurable addiction to iced coffee, popcorn, Boston sports and anything that sparkles. I hope to one day live in New York City and pursue a career at Cosmo.