Opinion: How to Survive Thanksgiving Break With Relatives

With Thanksgiving break just a few days away, everyone is looking forward to a much needed break from classes. It is a time to sleep in, pretend that we are getting ahead on finals prep – though we barely open a text book – and eat lots of homemade meals.

As much as students are looking forward to going home and spending time with family, there is often a degree of hesitation that goes along with it, as time spent with extended family members can be just as stressful as it is relaxing. However, it does not have to be.

When you show up at your family’s Thanksgiving dinner, the barrage of questions from your family members is as inevitable as the presence of grandma’s pumpkin pie. With topics ranging from your relationship status to your major, the line of questioning can feel very judgmental and uncomfortable.

The important thing to remember is that your family members are just interested in your life and how college is going. So tell them. When your aunt asks you if you are in a relationship, rather than just saying no and prompting questions of “why not” along with possible dating options, tell them about what things you have been involved with and how you have been spending your time.

While you are trying to enjoy your family’s Thanksgiving dinner, you may find yourself distracted by the fact that – in three days – you will be returning to campus. In that moment, you will probably reflect on how you did no school work over break thus far and chose to spend the majority of your days sleeping. No matter the foreboding in the back of your mind, do not study on Thanksgiving.

The simple solution to this problem is to dedicate more time to school work early on during break. However, that solution is not very appealing when compared to sleeping in and spending time with siblings. A good suggestion would be to try and spend an hour a day on school work. This way, you can spend time with family, get much needed sleep and not return to campus more stressed than when you left.

Adding to your stress may be that one uncle or cousin who always feels the need to start an argument over politics. General rules of etiquette say to leave politics at the door, but that does not stop those family members who want to fill a lull in the conversation by starting a heated debate. Those family members may assume that, as a Liberty University student, you share their need to talk exclusively about politics.

Instead of letting them dominate the conversation and start a family feud, redirect the conversation. One way to do this is to ask the individual about themselves ­­– their job, if they have a favorite book or favorite movie – if their goal is to fill a lull in the conversation, you starting a discussion about their interests will fulfill that need. If that does not work, grab a deck of playing cards or a board game and get people to play. Nothing changes the conversation like a competitive game of Uno.

However you are spending your Thanksgiving Break, be sure to enjoy the time you are spending with you family and friends. Though they may be stressful or even aggravating, they are still family and they love you. So this year, help grandma make that pumpkin pie and do not blow off your aunt when she asks how your semester is going and enjoy a low stress Thanksgiving break.