It’s that time of year. That’s right folks, Thanksgiving is right around the corner. For the next week, people will be buying mass quantities of pumpkin pie filling and sweet potatoes. Then comes the day after Thanksgiving, when malls will be crowded with people running around trying to find the perfect gift for that special someone. Almost all stores will begin playing Christmas music and decorating for the season if they have not already.
Meanwhile, in the Washington University bubble, we know that Thanksgiving is soon simply because we get three days off from school and a plane ride/car ride home. Soon we will be far away from the stress of classes, homework, and tests. But is that all we are looking forward to? What about spending time with family, cooking together and sharing stories of the past year?
In the middle of being busy college students, we tend to forget about relaxing and enjoying our lives. We are consumed in our work, and do not think about life outside work or even outside the University. But Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to take our lives back, even if it is just for one day. Think about Thanksgiving Day for a minute. Whether you are an avid football fan, a gourmet chef, or just don’t want to do work or think about work, you have no excuse not to enjoy yourself this Thanksgiving. There’s a lot of football to watch, food to make, and I’m sure sleeping in is not out of the question. Few stores are open, and over most parts of the country the weather is getting colder by the day. It’s the perfect scenario to stay inside and have fun.
Not only is Thanksgiving a day to relax, but as its name and history suggests, it is also a day to give thanks. It’s corny, but in addition to enjoying the day, we should also be grateful. I know we can all come up with things to be thankful for, even besides being grateful for not doing work. Being grateful, however, does not mean that we have the right to complain about everything. Yes the cluster system is aggravating, as is the University’s crackdown on alcohol and the new parking lot near Mallinckrodt. Away from the bubble, there are other issues to complain about; pick any politician or their views and someone at this University will complain about it. And don’t even mention Israel. But every so often we need to take a step back, and see some of the good in life and in the University.
Thanksgiving can bring us that step back. We can have a day without complaining. When relatives ask for the fifth time where we go to school, we can proudly say Washington University in St. Louis, and then not go on to complain about how much work we have or how there is nothing to do in St. Louis. As much fun as it is complaining to my parents that there is nothing to do in St. Louis, I know they would prefer to hear about a few good restaurants I’ve found. Then when it comes time for graduation, they won’t start complaining about St. Louis. I bet your relatives would rather hear about a class you actually like than about how much other work you have for your three or four classes. The laundry lists that reads: “I have two tests, one paper, 2 problem sets and a presentation next week” can take a break.
And maybe this break will last longer than Thanksgiving. Our homework will continue to grow, but how much we complain about it shouldn’t have to. Maybe the amount of homework we have is a state of mind. The work will be completed; the test will be studied for, and the problems sets will be turned in. But the amount of homework does not have to dominate your life. No matter how much work, we can all take some time to enjoy life. Enjoy how warm the weather has been in November and how the trees looked golden in the sun for a few short days. And if work still bogs you down, there’s always winter break.