Midweek Study Break: 8 Things to Be Thankful for This Thanksgiving

When I was younger my family used to celebrate Thanksgiving, then slowly without anyone noticing we stopped caring about the holiday altogether. You think you’re having a great time until you wake up one day and realize nobody seems to care anymore, the magic has faded and everyone just goes about their day like nothing ever happened. Thanksgiving was the one day a year my mother persuaded my family of four to sit at the same table at the same time. Once in a while she would force us to pray, but mostly she didn’t press on it too hard, we kinda sucked at praying. (Yes that is possible, any prayer that begins with ‘Hey God, it’s me again,’ is a fail in my book. And I think in the Holy Book too.)

I was either too young to remember or we just never did this, but we never really went around the table saying what we were thankful for like the white families on the television. (Because c’mon, let’s be honest, there’s no Lifetime movie of  Latinos celebrating Thanksgiving.) I never brought it up but I always had a mini mental list in my mind, just in case you know? It was usually the same things year after year, I was thankful for my cat Morris, my big sister, having toys and whatever lame certificate I had earned in class recently.

Now being much older and the tradition of just sitting around the table long dead, I still compile a mental list of things I’m thankful for. I don’t say them out loud or post them on Facebook, I to this day just quietly say recite them in my mind while watching happy families enjoy their holiday while I devour whatever pizza I ordered for the holiday. (Yes, you can order pizza on Thanksgiving.) This year I decided to write up all the things I’m thankful for, besides the obvious like having food and a roof over my head. Without further ado, I present you this week’s installment of Midweek Study Break and the 8 things I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving! 

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1. Attending a University

While I am thankful for the opportunity of simply attending college, I am much more grateful for the opportunities college has made available to me. Everyone who graduates leaves with a degree and four years worth of memories, but I get to walk across that stage knowing I spent a semester in Europe, another in Washington DC and all on the government’s dime. (Thanks FAFSA.) College can be more than just an escape from your hometown, it can be used as an opportunity to do more than the typical undergraduate experience, at least in my case.

It was the 90s, don’t judge us! I hope my mom never sees this, if she does she’ll either a) come through with her only threat and “break a phone over my head” or b) ship me to the homeland…(Mexico).

2. Moms and All the People Who Take Care of You

I would have put my mom at number one, but she called me the other day, thought she dialed the wrong number, then hung up on my before I uttered anything beyond ‘hello.’ My own mother didn’t recognize my voice! (Sorry mom, you’re number two, but only on this list. Better luck next year!) I won’t say my mom is the number one mom in the world, who knows, yours just might be better, but mine’s pretty sweet.

Who other than your mom can you call and casually mention your feet were cold that day and then instantly have enough money transferred into your account to buy some “sensible” shoes? Let’s all be honest and admit we’re spoiled. Whether you work a job and go to school, we still have someone ready to catch us when we fall. Or in my case run out of money for food.

3. True Friendships

I don’t have many friends, well actually I do, but not many that care to talk to me on a regular basis. My life is like this constant stream of meeting people, followed by 99% of them geting one look and running in the opposite direction. Whether I talk to someone everyday or every 4 years, I’m lucky enough to have those few people who really get me. (I’m talking about those who understand my love for Law and Order, french fries and white rice…and still dont judge me.)

I have one defining moment with friends when I know they are here to stay, the day they stop obsessing over my strange eating habits. You are now allowed admittance to my best friend tier (yes, it’s a tier) until you can live with the fact that my diet consists of only three food groups; carbs, starches and sugar. And for those wonderful few people who put up with my quirks, I love you guys. Wanna go out for pizza some time soon?

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4. Social Media

Say what you want about social media, but it will be on my list of things I’m thankful for until I die. A boy named Chris was my first love, but a strong WiFi connection was most definitely my second. Why? Because without Wifi how else would I show off the cool thing I did today, stalk people I’m interested in “knowing more about” and keep in touch with all my friends (both local and across the pond).

I can’t stand people who don’t have a Facebook yet always mention not having a Facebook, it’s like they want others to fill them in on what’s going on in that world they decided they were too cool/busy for. Instagram is for my froyo creations, Facebook promotes my ridiculous articles and Tumblr is the place to vomit all my feelings. Say what you want, but you know you’re thankful for it!

Have a photo you look great in next to that ex whose name you won’t utter? Just put a cat face over theirs, instant sassiness! 

5. Significant Others, Past and Present.

Nothing makes you love yourself more than someone declaring they can’t stand to be around you anymore. Well maybe they’re not that harsh, but essentially that’s what they’re saying. Nothing is fun about being broken up with, but personally I feel like for every idiot that dumps you, you’re standards are raised just a tiny bit higher. Side story: I had a 4 hour video chat with a guy I hadn’t spoken to in almost four years, yet he still knew all the irrelevant facts about my life. My favorite Jet song (Are You Gonna Be My Girl?), how I like my food (bland), and he could understand every single syllable that came racing out of my mouth! (Miracle.) You’re probably sitting there wondering, what was the point of that run on sentence Rubi? I’m getting there.

The point is that every relationship teaches you something, even the ones that are stuck in the friend zone. Don’t settle for the guy that always forgets you hate ketchup, aim for the one that knows how you take your burger and then lets you choose the drink too! I get it, being dumped sucks, but instead take that rage and turn it into something. Nothing is worse than not learning from your mistakes, so don’t settle and be thankful for the people in your life that made you feel like sh*t. (And once you’re done being thankful, consider becoming a writer and telling the world all their dirty little secrets. Just a suggestion.) 

6. Educators

We’ve all had that one teacher that makes us want to drop out and just join a gang (Ms.Moutafian, yeah you!), but thankfully there’s those rare gems whose class you actually look forward to attending. Throughout my education I’ve luckily had some pretty awesome teachers, the kind you become friends with after graduation. From Ms.Finney who made me feel like I could do anything (except work in a school, according to her there’s no money in that) and Professor Chatterjee who sparked my love for Women’s Studies, I’ve had educators throughout my life that make me actually enjoy going to class.

I learned early on in college that not everyone was here because they wanted to and many had chosen majors they had zero real interest in, but thankfully with the teachers fate paired me up with I’ve enjoyed every year here at UCR, earning two degrees I’m actually happy to have under my name. Find that professor that makes you fall back in love with your major, you’ll feel as youthful as you were freshmen year of college. Remember that time, before you were stuck taking all the classes you avoided until senior year?

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The moment that started it all, my 12 Step Program to Getting Over a Guy took number one for days!!

7. Did I Mention Boys?

A few months after starting to write for Her Campus I found my voice, or more specifically, the voices of the people I wanted to write about. College men. With the freedom to write about whatever I like and fresh post breakup anger, I went for the obvious choice and wrote an article on how to get over a guy. That article did amazingly well and since then writing about my failed relationships has kind of been my thing. For every article I put out that uses real college mens’ opinions, so much work happens behind the scenes to make sure every guy’s opinion is expressed.

The amazing male friends I have that put up with my long winded messages and pleads to help me with just one more article are what make my articles the success they have been. There’s not one time when their brutally honest opinions haven’t put a smile on my face and without them my articles wouldn’t be half of what they are today. I appreciate you all equally, from the ones who keep helping a sister out to the few of you that stealthily avoid reading my Facebook messages for as long as possible. It’s okay, I totally get it, sometimes you just don’t want to talk about your feelings on this season’s fashion trends.

8. Strangers on the Internet

The thing I’m most thankful for is you, all the strangers on the internet and friends of mine who take time out of their busy day to read my articles. Being a Psychology and Women’s Studies major didn’t really teach me how to write for the masses, I kind of sort of just fell into it by virtue of loving to talk…like constantly. I quickly fell in love with writing the moment my old column reached number one in the Top Chapter Stories section…and then stayed there! I may sit down most of the time and not know where I’m headed with all of this, but knowing you all keep coming back week after week makes me suck it up and just write.

Thank you all so much for reading my lame jokes, taking advice from a girl who has no idea what she’s talking about half the time and enjoying the occasional baby animal photo with me. Have an amazing Thanksgiving, whether you traveled home or decided to stay local to save the money for Friday’s festivities!