How to Survive the Holidays

It's that time again. Everyone loves the holidays and I am definitely one of them. But, the holidays are SO stressful. Kayla, Koda and I made the four hour trip from Greenville to my hometown, and that in and of itself was stressful. We didn't pack the night before, so we were scrambling to finish yesterday morning. I had to work, and I also had class. But once I got home it was worth it! Tomorrow, we're not having our entire family over for Thanksgiving like we usually do. But, with my past 19 years of dealing with stressful holidays and family I think I can give you a good guide on how to navigate holidays easily.

Dress comfortably// This is especially true for Thanksgiving. You don't want to be bloated and feeling uncomfortable because you decided to wear jeans. I recommend leggings, or something where they can easily stretch if they need to.

Take Breaks// Don't be afraid to take some breaks between interacting with your family. I've definitely had to retreat to my room multiple times during Thanksgiving day to just get away and avoid all of the questions!

Don't Go Overboard// Yeah, I know. It's easy to want to eat all that you can, especially if you're like me and you're used to eating the dining hall or rice and pasta all of the time.

Ask to Take Home Leftovers// Chances are, you're going to have leftovers after Thanksgiving. Ask your parents (or family) if you can take some food back with you if you're heading back to college. You will be able to live off of those leftovers for a while! That way you won't have to get groceries right away, and you won't have to cook while focusing on Finals!

Don't be afraid to take your homework// I have so many things to do over this break, so I'm definitely going to be taking advantage of my time off of work and class to be able to start studying for some exams! If you've been slacking on your readings, this may be a good time to catch up!

And most of all, have fun and spend some great time with your family. If you're like me and you don't get the opportunity to come home too often, use this time to spend some much needed family time. Enjoy your childhood bed and spend some time with your pets (I've missed my cats SO much!)

I hope you all have a GREAT Thanksgiving tomorrow, and eat as much as you can (yes, I know that contradicts number 3!).

What are you thankful for this holiday season? How do you survive the holidays?