Aria Vyas, a freshman double-majoring in biology and psychology, is a Hatchet opinions writer.
Our clocks aren’t the only things changing as we ease into November. The Halloween hype is dying down, and stores have begun to remove the bulk bags of candy from the shelves. They’re now being replaced with turkey decorations, miniature cornucopias and recipe books: The countdown to Thanksgiving has officially begun.
College students wait patiently to spend five days at home with family, friends and loved ones. And students in long-distance relationships might be anticipating the break a little bit more. Unfortunately, thanks to a phenomenon popularly referred to as the “turkey drop,” the college couple’s November reunion could be their last.
The turkey drop refers to college students who decide to end their long distance relationships during Thanksgiving break. It is also commonly known as the “turkey dump” or “breaksgiving.”
But for just as many relationships that don’t make it, there are many that power through this infamous relationship recession. Though many argue that our generation doesn’t understand how to love or how to have a committed relationship, it’s not too hard to find students on campus that can tell you otherwise. There are plenty of students whose long-distance relationships will survive the upcoming break. So don’t let the stigma of “breaksgiving” make you conform to the collegiate pressures to be single and open to “Netflix and chill,” unless that’s what you want.
Although I personally haven’t experienced the hardships of a long-distance relationship, I know a few friends that have. I’ve noticed that the couples who break up in the first months of school do it for a few reasons: how much time they can invest, the amount of trust involved and the realistic prospect (or lack thereof) of eventually being together.
This break-up trend is most common among college freshmen who entered the year saying, “We’re going to be the ones who make it,” and had ambitious goals of daily Skype sessions and surprise visits. But any freshman can tell you that the transition into college is a tough one, and the idea of “making it” can get clouded in the fog of college life.
You already have to make sure your parents know that you’re alive and well every day, stay in touch with high school friends and, on top of that, work on your relationship if you’re in one – and it isn’t easy. And with the large number of new people you meet in your first semester, it can be hard to focus on where you left your relationship.
And if it comes down to it, it just might be OK to reconsider the relationship. Thanksgiving break is deep enough into college life for both people to understand what it takes to keep a relationship going. Is the distance too far? Are Skype sessions enough? Is it worth going months without each other just to see each other for a few days?
The fact that many couples answer ‘no’ to these questions is how holiday break acquired its “turkey drop” reputation. But there are couples whose answers to those questions will be yes. And that’s perfectly OK, too.
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