Exercise, serve, laugh and eat. So many available options for this Thanksgiving holiday. Photo credit: Jamie Garcia
Thanksgiving weekend is always a much-needed break for students, especially since finals begin almost immediately after it. Since Thanksgiving is so close to Christmas break and students at APU live all over the map, not everyone travels home for this short turkey holiday.
Many students participate in Mexico Outreach every Thanksgiving. This year will mark junior cinematic arts major Brittany Carter’s first Thanksgiving away from home as well as her first time leaving the U.S. Her team leaves Wednesday and comes home Sunday.
“I am really excited about it. I think this will be a really great first trip for me,” Carter said. “At first I was a little bummed about not being home for Thanksgiving and not seeing my family, who are flying in.”
But Carter said she took comfort in the fact that Christmas break is only two weeks away after Thanksgiving is over.
Other students are used to staying in the area — senior liberal studies major Michaela Grocott has not been home once for Thanksgiving since she has been in college. Each year she has instead visited relatives in Los Angeles due to distance and schedule conflicts.
This year she is going to her uncle’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, then working Black Friday at Express in the Santa Anita Mall, where she recently was hired.
Grocott is also planning to work on homework and hang out with other people who will be around here for the break.
“It’s a little sad not going home, mostly because I can’t see my dog,” Grocott said. “But other than that, I will be with my family on Christmas, so it’s kind of the same.”
The cost of flying home is also a hindering factor for many out-of-state students like freshman nursing major Marisa Reed, who calls Washington state home.
“I was sad at first because I realized once I got here, especially after the one-month mark, that it’s a long time to be away from home,” Reed said.
But those who stay in the area can spend some quality time together. Reed will be spending her holiday with a family friend, who is a senior at APU, and making sure that their Thanksgiving plans incorporate one of her favorite desserts: pumpkin pie.
If you’re staying in in Azusa over Thanksgiving, there are several events and festivities that you can take part in locally and around Los Angeles.
The 6th Annual Turkey Trot in Claremont will begin bright and early 6:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. Hosted by the Claremont Sunrise Rotary, this local Thanksgiving tradition consists of a 5K run or walk and a 1K fun run.
There is also a YMCA Turkey Trot in Burbank to support a good cause for those in need. This is a 5K-10K run or walk, and usually draws around 2,500 participants. Prizes and costume contests are a part of the event, which is open for all ages.
Feeling philanthropic? Thanksgiving is one of the most popular times of the year for people to volunteer. According to local websites, the City of Azusa is in need of more volunteers on Thanksgiving Day to participate in serving a warm turkey dinner to families who are in need.
The popular comedy club in Hollywood, The Laugh Factory, has huge stars like Dane Cook who are scheduled to serve food to guests and treat them to a free, live show on Thanksgiving Day. This event is open to people who are homeless, underprivileged, lonely or who have nowhere else to go on this holiday.
The Midnight Mission in Downtown Los Angeles is looking for volunteers to help serve food to the homeless who stop by on Thanksgiving Day. The LA Regional Food Bank has special events and food drives and wants volunteers to help package food to deliver to families in need.
Of course, you can host some friends who are also in Azusa to fellowship together with food and laughter. Or, you can get a head start on that research paper due in a few days.