Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. For one, I love to eat and there is nothing better than a fried turkey, mashed potatoes and pecan pie. However, the real reason I love celebrating Thanksgiving is that it is not as stressful as Christmas.
I do not have to buy gifts for weeks in preparation for this one day and I do not have to go to numerous celebrations. My parents are divorced and my dad is remarried so I end up having about six different Christmases.
For those who did not grow up in a divorced family you would think “wow that is amazing you get so many gifts” but in reality, you are so stressed out from traveling all over the world in just a few short days that you do not even get to enjoy the holiday spirit.
That is why I love Thanksgiving. I only have to attend two dinners. One for my mom and one for my dad. I still have to spend the day traveling but it does not even come close to the miles I would drive the week of December 25. This is why I am choosing to fly home to Texas for Thanksgiving. However, it is coming at a cost; I will not be able to spend my last few weeks of college at college.
With the cases still surging in Texas, New Jersey has not lifted its travel quarantine from The Lone Star state. Nevertheless, I could not even imagine having to stay in New Jersey and missing Thanksgiving dinner with my family.
I do realize the risk of me getting on a plane right now during a pandemic but I have already had to fly home last semester and fly back for this semester and both times, I came out of it corona-free. I will be taking precautions, prior to my flight I will be getting tested and when I land in Texas I will get tested again multiple times to make sure I am safe to see my family.
I am so thankful I am able to go home for Thanksgiving but I am also extremely sad that I am missing out on my final weeks of being a college student. I am sad that I will not get to have crazy nights with my housemates and that I will not get to spend time with my boyfriend while we suffer through the end of the semester together.
I would be even more depressed if I did not go home and spend my last Thanksgiving with my family before I become a true adult with a real job. I probably would not even celebrate Thanksgiving if I were not able to sit around the table and eat too much with my family.
I know I am taking a risk by flying home for Thanksgiving but it is a risk worth taking for me. I hope that I stay corona-free for the next few weeks so I am able to get on that plane and spend time with my family. Also, I am already preparing myself for two huge Thanksgiving feasts and for lots of leftovers.
PHOTO COURTESY of Monmouth University
