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The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

The Student Newspaper of DePaul University

The DePaulia

Thanksgiving’s here…let the good times roll

Holidays are stressful. That’s a fact, and if you think otherwise then please send me a dinner invitation to your house as soon as possible. I love Thanksgiving for several reasons; the food, spending time with friends and family, listening to Christmas music becomes acceptable, the food, shopping malls overflow with crazed mothers…did I mentioned the food?

Holidays are a real-life game of charades. If you thought you have finished your finals, the biggest test of all awaits you come Wednesday to Sunday. Passing Thanksgiving will determine the rest of the holiday season for you. So put on that smile and try to wow your grandma so that five-dollar bill she stuffs in the envelope each year becomes a 20.

Though we all love being with those crazy freaks we call our family, there is so much more that goes into being home for the holidays. For those of us living out of state, the “pleasant” trip begins with the unforgettable airport experience Tuesday evening. Most likely, the flight will be overbooked, the flight attendants will be frustrated, and you’ll will end up sitting in the middle of two 300-pound “Hell’s Angels” members. You might get lucky with a non-stop flight, but let’s be honest, that never happens. Most likely the connecting flight will go through some small city on the opposite side of the country, which will prolong your trip by two to three hours. Bon Voyage!

When arriving home the secret to success is to not telling your family all of your accomplishments at once. Tell them everything in small doses or you’ll have nothing else to brag about the rest of the weekend. And they will assume you are slacking in school and will lecture you the rest weekend.

Some call the Wednesday before Thanksgiving the biggest bar night in the country, I call it karma. Once a year you get to see everyone you grew up with, but now you’re older and wiser, and can actually take the edge off with a drink in your hand. Places are usually packed and everyone is screaming and hugging. You forget what you fought about with that girl, or who broke your heart in 10th grade. Everyone is telling each other their future plans for world domination while making empty promises to stay in touch and hang out. You can almost hear that O.A.R. playing in the background…”When I’m with my friends, I feel home.”

Waking up on Thanksgiving with a mild hangover is what the spirit of the holiday is all about. You get to lounge around, watch TV and just be lazy. You might attempt to help your parents in the kitchen, but we all know that is a recipe for disaster, or fire. Sitting at the Thanksgiving table is a joy in itself, mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans, and lots of other yummy things. And no matter what, you always leave room for that pumpkin pie dessert with whipped cream. Goodbye swimsuit, hello jeggings.

After that last piece of pie that you snuck into your bedroom at 9 p.m., the Black Friday madness begins. Your mom WILL wake you up at 6 am and will drag you all over town. Be sensitive, this is her reward for cooking all that delicious food and a way to work-off those extra pounds she gained with the third serving of stuffing. Moms live for Black Friday, let them have it.

By Saturday and Sunday you have done it all. You have partied with people whose faces you won’t have to see for another year. So it won’t matter if you made a total jerk of yourself. You have offensively feasted and participated in American consumerism. You can officially cross off three of the deadly sins.

Everyone’s hope is that they’ve managed to impress their parents enough that they’ll be showered with gold and silver come December. If not, well there are always birthdays. Let hope you’re doing better than most of your childhood friends, and that your jeans still button.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, food, drinks, friends, laughter and family. I know I will.

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