Thanksgiving Break has students gobbling more about the idea of sleep and refreshment than the highly anticipated turkey dinners.
The two-day break is this Thursday and Friday. While Makayla Estill, a sophomore in environmental studies and geography, said she’ll enjoy a good meal, her head will also be in the books.
“I’m going to be studying,” she said. “It’s so beneficial to have another break before the end of the semester with finals and the stress.”
For some, Thanksgiving Break means a chance to be with family they haven’t seen since the beginning of the semester. Will Howard, a junior in atmospheric sciences from Colorado, is looking forward to just that.
“I’m getting to go home. It’s not too far away, so it’s easy with time and money,” he said. “It’s so nice to spend time with family, especially during a time that has so many different traditions. Thanksgiving is about being thankful, and I think a lot of thankfulness can be derived from spending time with loved ones and family-oriented affairs.”
For students unable to go home for Thanksgiving, some have found a place to celebrate here in Utah.
“Growing up, Thanksgiving was already not celebrated a ton, but my family always found [someway] to celebrate, and it felt just as special as Thanksgiving on the mainland would,” Estill, who is from Hawaii, said. “This year, I’m not going home, but my roommate’s dad is cooking us Thanksgiving dinner this year, so I’m grateful.”
Estill thinks of Thanksgiving as a time to reflect on American history.
“It’s important to remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving and how we came to America in the first place,” she said. “Even though the United States’ history is gruesome and does contain a lot of massacres, it’s our heritage and we should celebrate our ancestors.”
Howard, on the other hand, looks forward more to the hearty meal.
“I’ve been eating like a college student for a semester,” he said. “I’m ready for my mom’s cooking and her love … I also like to mix everything together on my plate for the ultimate Thanksgiving bite of food.”
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@JulianneSkrivan