Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Who doesn’t love a holiday dedicated to eating, watching football, and spending time with friends and family? But as a college student I have grown to appreciate this special holiday even more for one reason: good food. As a commuter, 95% of the food I eat, I have to cook myself. I love cooking and I’ve enjoyed getting better at it, but I miss having someone to cook for me. That is why Thanksgiving is so great.

Right now, as I’m writing I’m thinking about how fantastic it will be to sit down at a beautifully made table with turkey, stuffing, goodies galore when all I had to do was show up. (In all fairness to myself, I did spend four hours yesterday baking desserts to bring to Thanksgiving dinner, but I was very excited to try a new Key Lime Cheesecake recipe, so it was fun work.) Then when the dinner is over and the kitchen is filled with leftovers, who get to go home with plates filled with turkey and apple pie? The college student that’s who! And with that the beauty of Thanksgiving lives on for the next week through turkey sandwiches and an assortment of homemade pies for every meal. Ah, it’s good to be a college student!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Disclaimer: This post reflects the thoughts of the author and is not meant to offend anyone mentioned or associated with the post.

I may have underestimated how busy I would be when I decided last spring to sign up for six classes for the fall semester (7 classes if you include the 1 credit Co-Op course). “It won’t be so bad!” I told myself as I submitted my class schedule, which was stacked with two honors courses and an 8am twice a week. To top it all off, I am in the process of searching for a six month Co-Op internship in North Carolina that I will start in January. In addition, I run a dog service business part-time with my boyfriend all while commuting to campus. Looking back I realize that I was a bit unprepared for just how much work I would be in for this semester.

Fortunately, I have learned a lot from my super busy semester. These are a few tips that have helped me along the way.

1. Make Lists

Lists have made my life astronomically simpler. I am a very visual person, so by making a list every week with my school work, things I need to do for my Co-Op search, and all outside events, it allows me to plan accordingly and ensure I get it all accomplished.

2. Remove Distractions

I could spend hours and hours on social media and doing random internet searches. I love to cook and I get lost in cooking blogs and finding the best recipes. That being said, it can be a huge waste of time. One of the best things I’ve done is put my phone in another room while I’m studying and using some good old fashioned self control to stop myself from opening Facebook in a new tab while writing that World Civ. paper.

3. Manage and Plan your Time

College students are typically swamped with things to do. Between school work, jobs, sports, clubs, and everything else we have going on, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.   I have found the best way to manage my time efficiently is to plan out each day, with what I want to accomplish, and then prioritize each thing that I need to do.

4. Set Aside Time to Relax

It is very important to find time to decompress and enjoy college. Even taking a night off can make a huge difference. One of the most rewarding things is getting to have a Netflix marathon after a busy week.