What international students can do if they aren’t celebrating Thanksgiving

28 Nov 2019

If you’re an international student in the US, you might be feeling left out of the Thanksgiving celebrations taking place today, on Thursday, November 28, 2019, as the holiday is usually only celebrated by locals.

Some international students are lucky enough to be invited to their friends’ homes to celebrate the holiday, but many still end up staying on campus instead.

As classes won’t be held during the Thanksgiving break, what’s an international student to do when everyone is off celebrating?

You could revise and catch up on your assignments, but chances are you also need a well-deserved break from your studies.

Here are some ideas on what to do if you don’t have plans on this national holiday:

Prepare for Black Friday

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Black Friday is an annual nationwide sale that falls on the Friday right after Thanksgiving. It’s a great time to take advantage of the sales and shop for things you need, such as electronics, clothes, accessories and Christmas gifts.

If you don’t have plans on Thanksgiving day but intend to hit the shops, use the break to plan out where you’re going to go and what you’re going to buy.

Shop smart so you won’t be tempted to overspend and buy things you don’t really need during the sales.

Most department stores and shops will have already put up their Black Friday deals on their websites or social media accounts, so you can research and compare deals, and plan your shopping budget accordingly.

Volunteer for Thanksgiving

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Want to do good this Thanksgiving? A number of homeless shelters and soup kitchens will be giving free Thanksgiving dinners and pantry staples to the needy and homeless this time of the year.

Find out if you can sign up to be a volunteer since you don’t have plans, so you can spend the holiday helping others.

You might find it such a rewarding experience that you’ll start volunteering during other breaks or on weekends too.

Hang out with fellow international students

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Chances are, you’re not the only one on campus who’s not celebrating Thanksgiving. See who else is around and organise a coffee date or dinner – maybe even have a party!

Whatever you choose to do, cherish this opportunity to just hang out with friends without stressing about of finals.

If you want to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together but find it too much of an effort to cook, you can always go out. A number of restaurants offering Thanksgiving dinners will be open, such as Boston Market, Applebee’s and Denny’s.