Thanksgiving Break is Different For Every Student

Thanksgiving Break of 2017 already has students considering their options of where is the best place to celebrate the turkey holiday.

From Wednesday Nov. 22 to Friday Nov. 24, classes are canceled for students, and the campus will shut down for the holiday. Students and faculty are encouraged to go home and celebrate with family, bringing the question of how many students are doing the opposite.

“I’m going to be staying on campus for Thanksgiving, but technically I’ll just be at my apartment at Lake Hollingsworth,”Ashley Augusty, junior said. “I work in Lakeland on the weekends, and while I will be visiting home on Thanksgiving, I can’t really stay for leftovers.”

Out of a poll of 100, 98% of Florida Southern students responded that they celebrate Thanksgiving, and 75% are going home to celebrate and relax. Only 3% of students report staying on campus.

“It’s a little lonely being a part of small group still on campus,” Augusty said. “Still, I try to make the best out of it with my roommate. Even if I only see my family for a second, I still feel the holiday spirit.”

Students within the 75% of going home have already began making travel plans. In the poll, 71% of students respond they are driving home for the break, while 25% are flying. Jamileh Chemaissem, junior, is one of the students driving home.

“Even though it’s only a few days, and it might be annoying to deal with Holiday traffic, it’s worth it for me to go home to Miami,” Chemaissem said. “I always love and enjoy seeing my family, friends, and pets back home.”

In regards to food, the basic staple of any Thanksgiving meal, Florida Southern students show a preference for a starchy, brown crop. Potatoes came in first in the poll determining the favorite Thanksgiving dish, with turkey and stuffing tieing at second. Augusty and Chemaissem both gave their opinion on the best dish.

“My mom makes the best collard greens, so I can’t wait to for them,”Augusty said. “She always uses the best quality seasonings in every batch, and they get snatched up quick.”

“I have to say, I really like sweet potato casserole,” Chemaissem said. “My mom always uses a lot of marshmallows and cinnamon, so it warms me up every Thanksgiving. It’s the best way to end a quality, family meal.”