The Gophers tried and succeeded at losing

Thanksgiving has come and gone in a flash and I find myself thrown full force back into the trials of the semester. 

But let me reminisce on the few blissful days I had without homework I was able to spend with my family. First was Thanksgiving day, obviously. My family decided we wanted to continue the tradition of running the 5K turkey trot the morning of Thanksgiving Day. What a wonderful tradition that is, and one which I greatly enjoy. That is something I would say if I enjoyed running. Don’t get me wrong, I love being there with my family and my dogs and I love the afterward part where I feel good after having crossed the finish line and have an excuse to eat all the good Thanksgiving food that evening. But the actual running part is not enjoyable.

Despite those qualms, I survived and ran an about-average time for me, something I was pleasantly surprised about. I give my dog Max most of that credit; whenever I started walking she would drag me forward fast enough to get me jogging again. So it is thanks to her that I completed the three miles staying sane. 

Of course Thanksgiving meant all of the good food, which I gladly gobbled up (haha). Juicy turkey, mouth-watering sweet potatoes, creamy gravy and potatoes, crispy green bean casserole, and my weakness of deliciously fresh King Hawaiian buns. I am learning an important advantage of living away from my family is that they love to send leftovers with me so I am fed in college. 

However, I can’t mention Thanksgiving without providing the obligatory list of things I am thankful for. Skip to the next paragraph if you don’t want to read the list. First off, my family - my continuously supportive and loving parents, my beautiful sister, my caring grandparents. I am also thankful for my friends, my coworkers and everyone in my life. I’m thankful for Diana Gabaldon writing the Outlander series and I’m thankful for breakfast burritos, my everyday breakfast. 

Okay, that was Thanksgiving. I spent time with my family on Friday and part of Saturday until I had to return to campus to watch the Minnesota Gopher football team lose the game and the axe to the annoying Wisconsin Badgers. It was a tragic game to watch as my toes froze, I spent the entire time shivering, had to listen to annoying Badger students invade our student section, and then had to watch our Gopher team try and lose. 

So while we were recovering from the sad loss, school decided to come knocking. With three weeks left in the semester, it’s time for us students to buckle down and grind out all the homework, projects, and exams we are left to deal with. Coming back from break into this mindset is an incredibly unpleasant transition. I’m sure others find it difficult to go back to work or continue on with a routine as they return from a break such as Thanksgiving, but don’t worry, I’m struggling along with you. We got this. 

My Determination: “For where all love is, the speaking is unnecessary. It is all. It is undying. And it is enough.” - Diana Gabaldan, Outlander