Friendsgiving Traditions to Start With Your Roommate

By Ashley Paskill

Those who are close to their family homes will find it easy to go home for Thanksgiving. However, those who live farther away may have to stay in their dorm or off-campus housing for Thanksgiving break. While it can be frustrating and sad to not spend the holiday with loved ones, there are ways to have “Friendsgiving” traditions with your roommate.

Dining hall meals

A lot of schools will serve a Thanksgiving meal for those unable to go home for the holiday. Instead of sitting in your own living space, consider going to your dining hall to eat Thanksgiving there. This saves you time that would be spent prepping and cleaning up. You will also get to be with other people who are in a similar position to you. Many schools serve these meals for free and you can bring containers for leftovers, so you will have meals for days to come.

Potluck or group cooking

Thanksgiving can be a difficult meal to put together, especially if you are doing everything by yourself. Either have a potluck or invite a few people over to help you cook. If you decide to have a potluck, consider keeping track of who is planning to bring what to make sure everything needed is accounted for and so you know what you might have to make. Ask family or friends who are not hosting Thanksgiving to let you borrow silverware and plates so you have enough. Have your roommate help set up the table and clean up afterward.

Craft your décor

Buying Thanksgiving décor from the store may seem like a good idea, but it can get expensive. Chances are, you or your roommate have craft supplies that you can use to make your own décor. If you do need basic craft supplies, check your local thrift store before going to a craft store. Look for ideas online to see what you can make with what you have. Set aside a day to do your crafts. After you graduate, you will have Thanksgiving décor that you can take with you to help you remember the fun traditions you had with your roommate.

Football frenzy

One of the highlights of Thanksgiving for many people is the football. Make a tradition to either play a game of football or watch a game on TV. If you decide to play yourselves, see what teams are playing and play as those teams and watch the game on TV to see if the outcomes are similar. Get trophies or ribbons to give to the winning team as a reminder of the fun and their accomplishment. Have hot chocolate when you finish playing the game.

Turkey trot

If you and your roommate are into running or walks, look to see if your college town or city has a Turkey Trot or similar event on Thanksgiving. Many of these events support charities, so you can build a fun tradition that gives back. You can go train with your roommate, especially if your college has a gym on campus. Even when you graduate and move away, you can each do your own local Turkey Trot and keep each other accountable during training, and celebrate the success of completing it.

Volunteer

Even if you are not into running or walking, there are ways to give back on Thanksgiving. See if your local soup kitchen needs help serving meals on Thanksgiving and get involved with your roommate. Meals on Wheels may also need people to deliver meals, but this is mostly if you have a car on campus with you. You can even pick up trash at a local park or beach. There are organizations that accept cards for active military personnel and veterans, so you and your roommate can spend part of your Thanksgiving making cards to send to these organizations. Giving back is an amazing way to count your blessings and pay it forward for everything you are thankful for.

Gratitude traditions

Thanksgiving is all about being grateful for what you have and celebrating the little things in life. Consider starting a tradition of practicing gratitude on Thanksgiving. Get some construction paper and make a chain of paper, each strip of paper stating something you are thankful for. Even writing lists in a journal or a notebook can be beneficial. See who can create the longest list! Trace your hands and make a turkey. On the feathers and the body of the turkey, write out things you are grateful for. Date it and frame it as a keepsake for years to come. Before you start eating, go around the table and have each person share something they are grateful for. Write thank you notes to people who have influenced you in the past.

Spending Thanksgiving away from family and loved ones can be challenging, but you can create fun traditions with your roommate to help make the best of the situation.