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TSA鈥檚 invasive new security pat-downs are causing plenty of people to think twice about flying during the holidays, but thousands of college students across the country are preparing to head home for Thanksgiving break. Others are sticking it out at school and waiting until winter break to go home.

You鈥檙e not alone if you鈥檙e feeling nervous about your family鈥檚 Turkey Day festivities and you鈥檙e not alone if you鈥檙e feeling kind of funny about staying on campus during a holiday.

Our quick and easy Thanksgiving Break Survival Guide should help you make it through it all in one piece!

If You鈥檙e Heading Home for Thanksgiving Break 鈥�

• Pack wisely. Even if you want to do laundry during your trip home, cramming your suitcase full of dirty clothes isn鈥檛 the best idea in the world. You might go shopping during Thanksgiving break (hello, Black Friday bargains!) and then you鈥檒l have even more stuff to bring back to campus than you brought home. Those extra fees for luggage that鈥檚 too heavy can add up quickly.

• Be realistic when it comes to studying and homework. You might not want to stuff half a dozen heavy textbooks into your suitcase, either. Even if you have the best of intentions, it鈥檚 a safe bet that you won鈥檛 do very much studying during Thanksgiving break. It鈥檚 okay to bring a bit of schoolwork home with you, but be realistic about how much you鈥檒l actually accomplish. Remember to bring your books back to campus!

• Behave around your parents. After spending a few months away at college, it鈥檚 probably going to be weird sleeping in your bedroom at home and being around your parents again. They may want to impose curfews when you go out or be incredibly curious as to your whereabouts. Try to behave around your parents. If it鈥檚 driving you nuts, remind yourself that you鈥檒l be back at school in a few days.

• Get ready to talk about your major- a lot! If you have a big extended family that you鈥檒l see on Thanksgiving Day, they are going to be incredibly interested in what you have to say about college. They鈥檒l want to ask if you鈥檝e declared a major and why you chose it. If you don鈥檛 yet have a major, they鈥檒l want to recommend some or tell you what they studied when they were in college. Try to talk to groups or people at once so you won鈥檛 have to tell the same story eight times. It might be annoying, but you鈥檒l survive, and don鈥檛 worry鈥攜ou鈥檒l do the same thing to younger relatives when you鈥檙e their age!

• Realize that your old friends have changed, and so have you. Being around your high school friends might seem awkward because everyone has changed a lot in such a short period of time. So many long distance couples break up over Thanksgiving that a phrase has been coined: the Turkey Dump.

If You鈥檙e Staying on Campus for Thanksgiving Break 鈥�

• Let your school know that you won鈥檛 be heading home for Thanksgiving. If your college or university allows students to stay in their dorms during Thanksgiving break鈥攕ome schools don鈥檛鈥攜ou may have to pay extra fees to remain on campus during a holiday break. You may also have to make special arrangements for meals because dining halls won鈥檛 be open as often as usual. Find out all the details and take care of them ahead of time to avoid problems once Thanksgiving break arrives.

• Use your 鈥渁lone time鈥� to study and catch up on homework. Having the room all to yourself sounds great when your irritating roommate is constantly around, but it will probably feel funny being alone for five or six days. Spend some time cracking the books and get a head start on papers that will be due a few days after break.

• Find something fun to do, too. Go off campus and see a movie that you鈥檝e been meaning to see or visit a bookstore to browse, look at magazines and get some coffee. Catch up on your scrapbooking, organize your iTunes music library, or read a book that has nothing to do with school. Have some fun because final exams will be here before you know it!

• Consider volunteering for a few hours on Thanksgiving Day. It鈥檚 common for local churches and shelters to offer meals for the less fortunate on Thanksgiving. Not only will you get off campus for awhile, your time will be appreciated and you鈥檒l feel a sense of empathy for those who have less than you do.

Posted on 20 Nov

Melissa Rhone earned her Bachelor of Music in Education from the 911吃瓜网 of Tampa. She resides in the Tampa Bay area and enjoys writing about college, pop culture, and epilepsy awareness.