One year ago the country was shut down.  Family gatherings, trips, excursions with friends, and holiday traditions were all canceled.  People were making last-minute cancellations and spending the holidays alone.  COVID-19 left an unforgettable impact on families trying to be together.

     “I normally spend Thanksgiving with my grandma, but last year I wasn’t able to see her for any of the holidays.  I get to see her this year and we’re gonna hang out and make turkey and the other traditional foods,” freshman Madelyn Persson said.

     This year the celebration is back on.  Students are returning to their regular traditions, and some students celebrate Thanksgiving unconventionally.   For some people, the holidays are the perfect time to try new recipes and create new traditions.

     “One year we had my grandparents and my uncle’s family over and we got a turducken.  It’s a duck inside of a turkey inside of a chicken.  It was pretty interesting,” freshman Kate Horneck said.

     Horneck is spending her Thanksgiving in Florida, where she will be competing in volleyball championships.  Her family usually spends Thanksgiving on their own, where they create new memories and traditions.

     “We are leaving on Thanksgiving day to go to Florida and I’m playing in the AVP East Coast Championships with my partner Sage, so that will be pretty memorable,” Horneck said.

     A common tradition for a lot of students might be getting together with family and friends.  Thanksgiving break is the perfect time to be around other people outside of school.

   “We weren’t able to see other families last year and it was kind of lonely.  I normally spend a lot of time with my friends over break and I’m excited to be able to do that again,” sophomore Mollie McClean said.