By MICHELLE KIM – CENTO WRITER
It’s that time of year again when vanilla lattes turn into pumpkin spice, green leaves turn red, and our jeans feel a little bit tighter than we would probably prefer.
The Thursday of “thanks” has found its way back around and students are getting excited to relive some good ole holiday traditions. Many Centre students recall their holiday traditions and time spent with family and friends.
“Thanksgiving at the Finn residence is usually spent at my aunt’s place in Louisville,” first-year Maggie Finn said. “One of our crazy traditions is playing a game of Balderdash as well as some Charades after our meal. Even as me and my sisters are getting older, it never fails to amuse me how much the adults in my family still haven’t lost their ability to goof off.”
Other students also enjoy playing games to relax with their familes.
“My favorite memory of this holiday by far is playing the card game Euchre with my cousins. My uncle is practically a pro at the game, so anytime I won the series over Thanksgiving break it was a moral victory,” sophomore Andrew Steggeman said. “Oftentimes trash talk was included in those games.”
It is a sad fact of life that as time passes, traditions from our childhood can sometimes wane and all we have are the memories to tightly hold on to.
“My family had a Thanksgiving tradition for most of my life. We would spend the day with our cousins in Ohio and see as much of my dad’s side of the family as possible. Unfortunately, the older my brothers and my cousins got, the busier we became, so we do not always go to Ohio nowadays. I truly miss our tradition; life is just becoming too fast,” Steggeman said.
When it comes to college students, food is without a doubt going to be a favorite tradition of any special occasion.
“My favorite part of Thanksgiving is just getting to eat some good cooking,” first-year Sidney Spivey said. “There is so much food that you have to pace yourself, kind of like running a marathon. When you start getting full you just have to walk it off (or nap it off), and then you’re ready for the final sprint through the dessert line. One of my favorite memories is sitting at the counter watching my great-granny fix her famous stuffing and deviled eggs. Literally my mouth is watering now just thinking about being in the same room as them.”
This is the first longer holiday break of the year, meaning it will be the first opportunity for many of the out of state students to visit home since moving onto campus.
“As hard as it is to admit, I’ve been away from home way too long and really miss my family. The homesickness is real,” first-year from California Levi Ison said. “I seriously cannot wait for a home-cooked meal, my family and friends, and the warm Californian autumn.”
Most of us are blessed enough to call home our haven for the holidays, but for many of the international students, flying back home isn’t an option. However, generous friends have offered their homes for the holidays.
“Unfortunately, I am not going home for Thanksgiving break,” first-year international student Henry Nguyen said. “However, I will be spending it in Northern Kentucky at my roommate’s home. This is a completely new experience for me, since we do not have this kind of thing back in Singapore, so I have never celebrated such a holiday before. I am most excited for the food—I hear the stuffed Thanksgiving turkey is so good — as well as for all of the shopping on Black Friday.”
International students may be experiencing the traditional American holiday for the first time.
“I don’t know much about Thanksgiving other than that it is a time to get together with friends and family to celebrate all that you have—and you get a turkey dinner,” junior international student Claire Kearns said. “Since I am not able to go home, I will be staying with my friend’s family in Louisville. They are letting me in on their tradition of going to the shooting range, which will be unreal.”
Even without any formal traditions, a simple quintessential Thanksgiving of turkey and gratefulness isn’t any less special.
“My Thanksgiving traditions are pretty typical. I always watch the parade in the morning, then we go to my grandma’s house and everyone helps cook. After dinner we watch football, and sometimes we will play a touch football game in the backyard. I just love having a day to realize how blessed I am,” first-year Ellen Stephan said.
Whether it comes with family reunions, a flood of cherished memories, or even just a cold turkey sandwich from Subway, no matter how it is celebrated, the main reason behind the holiday is to simply be able to count the many blessings in our lives.