With the end of Halloween comes a quick transition from spooky season to cozy season. It’s time to finally break out that extra fleece blanket and take in the piles of multicolored leaves. A lot of us look forward to November because of Thanksgiving break. After a grueling midterms season, it feels great to enjoy home cooked meals and cuddle with the pets you’ve left behind.
Unfortunately, going home is not an option for everyone. Whether you have no family to visit or home is too far away to justify the flight, here are some ideas to make the most of your break.
1. Catch up on some much needed sleep
Midterms were rough. Spend your five day weekend sleeping in and catching up on your favorite shows. Stay in bed til 2pm, drink lots of tea and appreciate the changing weather from inside a large pile of blankets. You deserve it.
2. Host a Friendsgiving
Get together a group of friends and celebrate the beginning of the holiday season on your own terms! The best part of everyone leaving Berkeley is that your communal kitchen is now yours alone. Invite a friend or two over and enjoy trying out new recipes together. If you can’t cook, the UC Berkeley Food Pantry is hosting a Thanksgiving meal for Berkeley students.
3. Get a head start on finals
With finals starting only two weeks after the end of the break, this might be the move. Dead week will become an opportunity to take day trips, distract your friends from their last minute cramming and gloat about how functional of a person you are. Your grades will thank you.
4. Take a trip
Whether it’s exploring a new place on your own or tagging along on your friend’s plans to go home, getting out of Berkeley might be your best bet. Some popular fall locations, like Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley and Point Reyes become easy and inexpensive day trips with a car. If a friend invites you to kick back with their family for the weekend, jump at the chance and bring a gift to show your gratitude. You might just end up with a new 80 year old BFF.
It sucks to be stuck in Berkeley when all of your friends go home. But with a little advance planning, you can still make the most of the holiday season.