Being a UCR student means you don’t effing anytime at all to be home. I live in NorCal, which I spent almost all of Wednesday driving back up, spend Thanksgiving, Friday and Saturday with the fam, and left Sunday morning. Not a lot of time at home at all. Some people reason that it’s not worth it, to only be home for 5 days, more like 3 days really. Honestly, it kinda is. I could’ve easily stayed home and worked through the break, make a little extra money. I wouldn’t do that though. Thanksgiving means too much to me. Thanksgiving is a time for family, drinking, conquering and defeat. My fam goes all out for Thanksgiving dinner. My cousin Steven handles the turkey and all the potatoes. He makes the turkey with his special recipe to make that turkey skin extra crispy and stuffs the cavity with oven-roasted lemons and oranges to impart a nice citrus flavor. His mashed potatoes are perfect. Nice and silky, no lumps, delicious garlic and green onions to elevate the flavor. He also makes a baked potato casserole. Imagine a baked potato. Now take that just mash it together into a casserole dish. My cousin Ryan is in charge of making the green bean casserole, stuffing, his vegetable Bolognese, and this year he even made his mac n cheese recipe. Often times when I eat other peoples’ stuffing, it’s hella mushy and not very impressive. Ryan likes to sauté his vegetables but keeps them crunchy. He also makes sure his stuffing is nice and crunchy and crisp. Not quite sure how he does it but his stuffing is bomb. Steven’s girlfriend Emily takes care of the salad, which doesn’t sound like much but her dressing from scratch is sooo effing bomb so can’t really hate, baked mac n cheese, also very tasty, and this year, butternut squash soup. My contribution is pumpkin pie or cheesecake, and sweet potato casserole, which is basically an evolution of candied yams. After all the foods done and ready, its time to conquer. Piling your plate high and utterly massacring it, but then feeling defeated an hour later can be the best moment of the night. I personally like the post-meal more. Everyone is full and chillin, sipping on wine, cider, beer, or this year, pomegranate honey mead. It’s very relaxing and peaceful, playing beer pong with my cousins and our friends. Thanksgiving means to much to me to not go home.