Though the weather may be getting colder, hearts are warm on campus as GCSU students celebrate Friendsgiving. An American cultural favorite, Friendsgiving blends the spirit of Thanksgiving with the comfort of community, giving students a chance to gather with the people who make campus feel like home. For many, it’s a meaningful alternative for those who can’t travel to be with their families or simply want to celebrate with friends before heading home for the holidays.
Junior math major Anna Kroll mentioned that for her, Friendsgiving is simply a time to be present with friends.
“To me, Friendsgiving is just a time to sit there with a group of people that you care about,” Kroll said. “These are people you might not always just get to sit down and chat with, have fun with and reminisce about all the good stuff that happens.”
As finals season approaches and students become wrapped up in the holiday hustle, students said the tradition gives them space to breathe, eat good food and enjoy good company. Whether they are celebrating with roommates or friends they can only catch between classes, for junior elementary education major Kelsey Slinn, the chance to spend intentional time together is what makes the gathering so special.
“Just being around your friends, hanging out, getting to chat and having that time that you can devote to them, that’s really fun,” Slinn said.
While many students embrace the tradition with the community they’ve built at GCSU, others extend the celebration beyond campus. For students whose closest friends live in different cities or belong to hometown circles, Friendsgiving is a time to reunite with those they do not get to see as often.
“Last year, my siblings and I had a Friendsgiving where each of us invited some of our close friends,” said Laura Mei Sanders, a sophomore nursing major. “We all just hung out, and we were able to catch up and relax.”
For Sanders and others, the holiday is especially meaningful when it brings together the friends they rarely see face-to-face during the semester. Between busy schedules and long distances, the chance to gather around a table together can be rare.
“It’s so sweet, getting your close friends coming together and just having a good time to hang out with each other and catch up on everything,” Sanders said.
While Friendsgiving is typically in a pot-luck style, with one host and a spread of Thanksgiving staples, some college students with limited kitchens or tight schedules chose to improvise.
“We all went out to eat at a restaurant, and then we all just sat together, had fun, talked, ate our food and had a really good time,” Kroll said.
Kroll said she traded the traditional turkey and stuffing for a pub-style meal, and in the true spirit of Friendsgiving shared plates with a friend to try different dishes.
“I had two different dishes because I split with a friend, so I had fish and a burger, but I think the fish is my favorite out of all,” Kroll said.
For Sanders, her group chose to celebrate at Pickle Barrel, a local favorite known for its fried pickles, burgers and wings. While it was far from the standard Thanksgiving meal, she said it was no less festive for those who gathered.
“After church, our small group went to Pickle Barrel and just we hung out, talked about random stuff and had a good time,” Sanders said.
Whether they gather around plates of fish and fried pickles or tables of gravy and pumpkin pie, for GCSU students Friendsgiving is a time to enjoy the relationships and memories that they’re grateful for this Thanksgiving season.