The week before thanksgiving is incredibly long. You know that Thanksgiving is coming up really soon, but it sure doesn't feel like it. There's a ton of stuff you need to get done before, and it's all during that one week. You likely have a few exams, a group project and plenty of homework. Oh, and maybe a presentation too. It seems like it's never ending. It's pretty much midterms season, for the third time. While we all just want to go home and stuff our faces with all of the wonderful Thanksgiving food, you need to get a lot of things done first.

1. Figure out what you actually need to do before you go home.

See what you have to get done and break it down into more manageable chunks. This will make it much less overwhelming and you will be able to see a concrete end to all of the madness. Make a plan and stick to it. You'll get everything done eventually, you just need to put the time in to do it. Once you figure out what you need to do, you might even be able to go home sooner than you think.

2. And then go home as soon as you can.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the worst days to travel. Everyone is trying to get home from all over the country for turkey day. Once you know what you need to get done before you get home, you may realize that you don't need to stay for another day or so. Figure out which classes (if any) that you need to go to in the few days leading up to Thanksgiving. Some are mandatory, but with others it's no big deal to skip it just that one time. Better to get home early than show up to a hundred person lecture hall with three other people. And if you're driving or taking a bus, any way that you can avoid traffic is a big deal. Who wants to be stuck in a car or on a bus for longer than you need to?

3. Distract yourself from the wait by getting into the spirit and eating Thanksgiving food!

Hey, you're working hard. You might as well reward yourself with some pumpkin pie and stuffing. It's never to soon to get into the Thanksgiving spirit. After all, you have to eat anyway. You might as well eat Thanksgiving food!

4. And finally, be thankful.

This time is pretty stressful, but you have to admit that there's a lot to be thankful for. While it sucks sometimes, having the opportunity to go to college and get into a career field is a big deal. Remember that there is an end goal to all of the hard work and hours you are putting in. And before you know it, you'll be home, eating turkey and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.