Thanksgiving Survival Guide
Mahoning-Cooper Elementary School kindergarten students, dressed as pilgrims and Indians, show their parents and grandparents how to do the “Mr. Turkey Gobble” in teacher June Heeter’s classroom in Danville, Pa., on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008. The song and dance was part of the class’s Thanksgiving celebration. (AP Photo/Bloomsburg Press Enterprise, Bill Hughes)
The scent of homemade mashed potatoes and turkey lingers throughout the packed household. Nieces and nephews chat with great aunts and uncles, a buzz of conversation and obnoxious laughs echoes within each room. Long tables line the dining room, each one draped perfectly with a white tablecloth and a center piece. It is Thanksgiving, one of the most favorable, and sometimes stressful, holidays of the year.
For high school student, we find that our family members and relatives often feel the need to give us advice about our future. They want to know all about your grades, why their suggestion for you to become a doctor doesn’t fit, and absolutely everything about your relationship. In order to prepare for the invasion of these personal, pestering questions, simply follow this holiday survival guide.
Keep it short and sweet
Our relatives want answers, but that doesn’t mean we have to give great detail. Answer the question but keep it brief. That way, they won’t continue to ask you questions about the subject. A short and simple answer will suffice.
Be honest
While it would be nice to brag about a 4.0 GPA and straight A’s, don’t lie about school or a job, or anything for that matter. Make sure that you’re honest to your relatives. At the end of the day, they love you for who you are, and only who you are, so tell the truth!
Relax
When our relatives ask us these intrusive questions, often times it is difficult to remain calm. Take some deep breaths and remind yourself that they care greatly about you. Our family members have no intention of stressing us out.
When I think of Thanksgiving I immediately think of family. It is a time where all of us put our lives on pause for a day to gather as one and reconnect. As humans, it’s so easy to get caught up in work and school. Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to dwell on the important things in life, like family and the fact that we are fortunate enough to have food on our table. Besides, holidays are supposed to be fun, not stressful! Have a great holiday, and don’t dwell on the little things.