Thanksgiving week at Guilford College offers students a much-needed pause, a moment to reflect and reconnect with the people who matter most. While celebrations vary widely, gratitude remains the thread tying their experiences together.

Guilford student Zaria Porter is not heading home to Oklahoma this year, but she is still spending the week with family.

“My sister and brother both live in North Carolina, so I’ll be driving to see them for the week,” she shared. Her siblings’ work schedules sometimes mean their celebration does not fall exactly on Thanksgiving Day, but “as long as we still celebrate and eat great food together, I don’t mind,” Porter said.

She alternates which sibling hosts each year. “I’ll most likely spend the weekend with my sister at her place with her tuxedo cat, Boots!” She also emphasized the meaning in family recipes, just one tradition that she says helps to keep their celebrations constant.

Thanksgiving at Guilford has its own meaning for her. She mentioned Friendsgiving, where one celebrates with friends rather than family, holiday movies, and learning how different cultures celebrate. Both home and campus give her the same sense of togetherness, and this year she’s especially grateful for the community she’s built and her siblings helping North Carolina feel like a second home.

For others, Thanksgiving is quieter. 

Early College student Rasya Kolakaleti said, “While I don’t really celebrate the American notion of Thanksgiving, simply to me it just means spending time with family and reflecting on all the things you are thankful for.” Her family watches movies, bakes cookies, and enjoys time together, and she’s come to value that simplicity. She’s especially grateful for her family, friends, and opportunities to travel and learn.

Rasya also stressed that celebrations don’t need to be elaborate: “You don’t have to do too much and put on a big show such as a feast to spend time with family.” For her, Thanksgiving is less about traditions and more about connecting with loved ones—a reminder that meaningful celebrations can look different for every family.

Early College student Genevi Kim and her family are having a get-together the day before Thanksgiving and also the night of. For her, the best part of Thanksgiving is “being with family and staying home from school.” 

She said celebrating at home feels more personal, and Thanksgiving means appreciating “the little and big things” with loved ones. She’s especially grateful for friends who helped make the Early College transition easier. Though her family’s menu changes each year, she values the festive mood, and, as she’s grown older, Thanksgiving has become a tradition her family now makes a point to gather for.

Other students, like McKenna Merritt, have their own ways of celebrating.

“I’m planning on going home and celebrating Thanksgiving with my family,” said Merritt.

Her family doesn’t have specific traditions, but she always watches the AKC dog show.  This is her first Thanksgiving at Guilford, so she hasn’t seen major changes, and she views the holiday as a chance to relax with loved ones. She is grateful for the new experiences she’s had this year, and despite Porter’s view that turkey is overrated, Merritt enjoys it—in fact, it’s her favorite. She also thinks holiday TV deserves more appreciation.

Growing up, her family attended multiple gatherings, but now it’s just her parents and their dogs. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said.

Some students celebrate with friends instead of, or in addition to, family. Many take part in Friendsgiving gatherings on campus, sharing dishes from different cultures and learning from one another. These moments show how adaptable and personal the holiday can be, while still centering community.

Food remains a highlight for many. Zaria looks forward to macaroni and cheese, pie, and cranberry sauce, though she jokes that turkey is overrated. Rasya focuses more on the time spent together than the meal itself.

Though each student’s break looks different, whether they spend the week with nearby family, return home to long-standing traditions, or build their own celebrations on campus, connection ties them together. Cooking, traveling, or simply resting, students use the time to reconnect with the people and routines that ground them. No matter the scale or style of their plans, Thanksgiving offers a moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate the communities that make Guilford feel like home.