Getting a good education

I think we are all grateful to be here at William Jewell College or even to be in college in general. The professors are live encyclopedias that you can use anytime you need. We have four years to learn all of the things we want to learn before we have to work doing the same thing every day.

Late-night drives with blasting music and cold air

These are definitely the moments I feel most alive. Last night, my roommate and I went on a drive at midnight. We had the windows down on the highway and played “Picture to Burn” at max volume. We felt so confident, knowing no one could ruin our mood after we had this therapeutic moment. The city at night is also so vibrant while everyone is asleep.

Having a film camera

I finally had the guts to spend a big chunk of money and invest in a film camera. It is such a different experience because film is so expensive, so you value every picture you take. Moreover, you don’t get to see the pictures until you use the whole roll and get it developed. If you mess up, you mess up. It’s a pricey lesson, but eventually, you will become really good at it.

Knowing how to flirt

As a girl, I have always been taught to wait for the guy’s action instead of chasing and getting him. I listened and I suffered. Recently, I finally tried to make the first move and flirted with someone. I don’t even know if it was a good flirt, but you know, I did it. I felt victorious. I overcame the social norm and was proud of myself. I love having the power to get what I want. I 100 percent recommend flirting to other shy girls. Do what you want and need. Don’t listen to other people. You know the situation, no one else does.

My friends

My friends don’t define my values, but without them, I would never ever know my values. The love they give me makes me feel wanted. In return, I help them with their problems. Maybe not much, but there has been some funny situations like boyfriend problems, and for a single girl, I think I do pretty well at helping them.

Living far away from my family

I know this is a debatable opinion. Personally, I love the freedom I have here in the dorms because my parents are really strict. Living with my roommate is fulfilling. We basically became each other’s family here because we are both far away from home. I have never laughed as much as I do at Jewell.

My family

Even when I love living on my own, I don’t think the love I feel for my family has changed. I think that when we are not together, our relationship gets better because we are more grateful to have each other to think about. We can also avoid crazy situations that would happen every day if we lived together. The thing I am most grateful for from my family is the support I get from them no matter how far the distance is between us. I know that I will always be there for them, and they will always be there for me. 

Thanksgiving is one of the most underrated holidays. It is sometimes lost in the mix between Halloween and Christmas. Many people skip straight from Halloween to listening to Christmas music and decorating their trees Nov. 1 and miss the best part of the fall season. 

For me, Thanksgiving is a great time to spend with family and celebrate the things we are thankful for in our lives that can be overlooked during other overly-commercialized holidays. In these difficult times of political and social unrest amidst a pandemic I think it is important to take a breath and remember the things in our lives that we are thankful for.

Some of the typical Thanksgiving traditions may be a little different this year due to COVID-19, but there are still things that everyone can enjoy during this holiday season while staying safe.

In my household, we have a tradition of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the National Dog Show and football throughout the day. Due to the pandemic, it has been announced that the parade will be held in an altered recorded form but will still be aired on television during its normal time. The National Dog Show, as well as college and professional football games, are also still scheduled to air on Thanksgiving Day with slight alterations to account for social distancing guidelines.

While traditions like watching football on Thanksgiving are still possible to experience, some of the most important aspects of the holiday may not be possible for many during the pandemic.

Every year, my family hosts a big Thanksgiving meal at our house. We spend all day cooking, watching football and spending time with our extended family that we don’t get to see very often. This year, due to COVID-19, our big family meal is going to be held on a smaller scale with just my parents and my sister.

We might not have the complete Thanksgiving spread of food this year, but my dad still plans on roasting a turkey, and I will definitely be making a pumpkin pie. Even though I won’t get to see all of my cousins, I am still grateful to be able to spend this time with my parents and sister who I don’t get to see as often now that I am in college.

Black Friday is another one of those over-commercialized holiday events that can sometimes distract from Thanksgiving. It seems like the sales start earlier and earlier every year, so now they begin on Thanksgiving evening or even a few days before.

My family sometimes goes shopping on Black Friday, but we are not the people who get up at 5 a.m. to wait in line for stores to open. Black Friday is when I fully begin to embrace the Christmas spirit, but only after I have fully appreciated fall and Thanksgiving.

Even though the holiday season will not look quite the same this year, I am thankful for so many things in my life. Celebrating these things is what Thanksgiving is really about. I am thankful for my health, my supportive family, my amazing friends, the beautiful fall weather, good coffee and so much more. 

November is upon us, which means it is officially the season of giving thanks – although the season of giving never goes out of style. At times it may seem like everything is falling apart, but there is usually always something good that can be taken from any situation. Being thankful is seeing the good in difficult situations. And, while being a thankful person does not happen overnight, practicing thankfulness is definitely worth it.

Surprisingly, those who are thankful take care of themselves better by exercising and going to the doctor more regularly. Psychology Today cites a study that showed that those who were thankful felt healthier those who did not practice thankfulness. Being thankful has many other benefits, such as improved self-esteem, decreased aggression and increased mental strength.

One way to be more grateful is to simply appreciate everything. Whether you do this throughout the day or at the end of the day, try to routinely reflect on what is around you or has happened to you, and think how grateful you are for the experience or thing. You must actively seek to be grateful and not just wait to be grateful.

For example, you could write down five things you are grateful for at the end of each day. Develop this habit of appreciation for even the negative or challenging times of your life. Writing down what you’re grateful for each day could even improve how well you sleep, according to a study cited by Psychology Today.

What you are thankful for could even be little things, such as the cafeteria having cookies at lunch or the weather being nice. There is always something to be grateful for if you look hard enough. For inspiration, Kid President lists 25 things he is thankful for here.

Another way to be more thankful is to help others. Research shows that helping someone else or volunteering your time can  improve your own well-being, which gives you the ability to be more grateful. Consider being a tutor at a local school or bringing canned food to a local food pantry. Even just offering to give someone a ride could improve your well-being.

Additionally, it might be beneficial to write a letter of gratitude or express your gratitude to a loved one. A Harvard study showed that writing letters of gratitude to others increased happiness for its participants overall, which could positively impact a person’s ability to be grateful.

You could even write or verbally express gratitude for yourself. A small statement of gratitude to yourself, like “Thank you for studying so hard for that exam,” could be more life-changing than you’d think.

Another way to actively practice being grateful is to read or listen to quotes or speakers about thankfulness. The Ted Talk website has a playlist of videos about gratitude. If you are religious, several websites list Bible verses about thankfulness..

Practicing thankfulness takes time but can be beneficial to your health and could inspire others to be thankful as well. Everyone can benefit from thankfulness, so give thankfulness a try during this holiday season.