Thanksgiving break is supposed to feel like a breath of fresh air. It's a whole week meant for resting and finally slowing down after 3-4 months of school. But let's be honest, it flies by so fast that we barely get to enjoy it. One minute, the bell rings for dismissal on Wednesday, then the next it's Sunday, and you're wondering where your break went.

We spend most of it trying to squeeze in sleep, social plans, family events, and maybe a little schoolwork if we’re feeling super productive. However, actually resting, allowing your mind and body to genuinely reset, rarely happens. We keep moving, scrolling, stressing, and rushing through moments that were supposed to refresh us.

This Thanksgiving break, that’s what needs to change. It’s time to slow down, be intentional, and actually enjoy the tiny moments we usually overlook and rest, reset, and maybe even romanticize the season a little.

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Free Up Your Schedule

It's impossible to actually enjoy a break if you're constantly stressed out from those assignments you keep putting aside. Take it from me, I used to cram a whole week's worth of homework the night before school, and let me tell you, I wasn't able to relax at all.

That's why I suggest completing all of your work before break even begins. Since my school gets an early dismissal on the day before Thanksgiving (as most schools do), I like to make a list of all the assignments or tasks I have to get done when I get home. Then I use the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of actively working followed by a 5-minute break) to complete or just get a head start on my work.

Even finishing off just a few small assignments will do. The main goal is to take as many things off your to-do list as possible so you can enjoy the rest of your weekend. Do the boring stuff first so the fun stuff doesn't get ruined.

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Actually Rest

Let's be real, school is exhausting, and we have literally no time to relax. Between homework, extracurriculars, and everything else, our brains are constantly running nonstop. A break is the perfect time to hit pause and just rest.

But resting doesn't mean spending the next few days doomscrolling in bed or stressing about school. Real rest is about recharging so you can feel refreshed and ready when school begins again.

Here are a few ideas on how to rest and recover before school:

• Sleep In: During school, we don't always get the opportunity to get a proper amount of sleep we need. But now is the perfect time to do so. Go to sleep early and sleep in without guilt.
• Digital Detox: So many people that I know waste their break by just scrolling. The last thing you want to do is doomscroll during break. Put your phone away and get some real rest (and maybe a hobby).
• Be Mindful: If you're someone who gets stressed easily during school, act as if your time off were a period to unwind. Try meditations, deep breathing, or clearing your head with fresh air.
• Do Something Fun: With loads of work being assigned during school, we don't always have time to do the things that we love. Read a book, binge-watch your favorite series, or anything else that brings you joy.

Getting time off from school is also a great opportunity to take care of your well-being. Small acts of self-care can help you reset your energy and boost your mood. Break is the perfect time to focus on the little things that make you happy.

Here are some self-care activities that actually work:

• Take a Long Shower/Bath: The easiest way to reset yourself for a break is to take a shower. In order to cleanse your energy, clean yourself first. You'll feel a lot better, and it's relaxing.
• Hair/Face Masks: Want something that will make you feel good and look good? Go the extra mile and try out a new hair or face mask after that lovely shower. Something like this is best to do the night before school starts.
• Light Exercise: I'm not asking you to go to the gym for 6 hours or run 5 miles. Just go on YouTube and pull up a simple Pilates routine. It boosts your mood and gives you a head start on New Year's resolutions if working out is your goal.
• Journal: You don't have to write 3 pages on how your day went. Journaling can be as simple as opening a random unused notebook and writing 3 things you're grateful for (hello, Thanksgiving?).

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Reset Your Space + Body

You don't have to wait until the night before break ends to reset your mind and space; you can do it anytime during your time off. Honestly, I like doing it the day before break starts, after I finish all my homework. That way, I can start my break with a fresh mind and room. Do it any day that you desire, just know that resetting can help make break feel way less stressful.

We all heard that a tidy space leads to a tidy mind, and if your room looks like it's seriously been going through something, break is the perfect time to take care of that.

Here's what I like to do to help me reset:

• Clean Up Your Space: During break, I take the opportunity to deep clean my room. But you don't have to go to that level, just declutter. Put clothes away, throw out random trash, and wipe down your desk. I promise, once you're done, you'll feel a lot better.
• Prep for School Early: Okay, hear me out, I'm not trying to rush your break or anything. It's kind of like doing your homework early. Do it now so you don't have to worry about it later. Pick out a few outfits ahead of time, clean out your bag, and charge your Chromebook. Boom, done.
• Romanticize It: Make resetting feel fun. For example, I love blasting Taylor Swift's Evermore on my CD player while I clean. Especially "champagne problems" or the title track, it just feels like fall. If you're doing this after Thanksgiving, maybe decorate your room for the holidays.

Want to do a reset from scratch? Watch this video:

Video Credit: Janet Ndomahina from YouTube

Spend Time With Family

The whole point of Thanksgiving is being with the people you love most. Break is one of the only times when everyone's chaotic schedules align, and you can finally just be together as a family. But sometimes family time can feel... well, awkward. Here are some things and traditions I like to do with my family, that you can pass on to yours.

Food always brings people together. Well, at least in my family it does. If your family loves making food or just food in general, here's what you should do together:

• Cooking: Consider helping with Thanksgiving dinner. Even if you can't cook, you can create memories just by stirring something, taste testing, or setting the table. When I was around 4 or 5, we didn't eat turkey for some reason; we had meatloaf. My job? Cover my hands with ketchup and smother the meat with it before popping it in the oven. I ended up making a huge mess (of course), but the memory stayed with me ten years later.
• Eating Together: I mean, this is literally the whole point of the holiday, sharing a big meal together. But for me, my favorite memory isn't Thanksgiving itself. It's the day after, after we put up our Christmas tree. We'd eat cheese and crackers and watch the cheesiest Hallmark holiday movies, even when I was little. It was random, but I cherished it, showing that truly anything can become a tradition.
• Breakfast: Start the day with a nice breakfast together. It’s not about the food; it’s about making a memory before the Thanksgiving chaos begins. My family has been doing this forever. While my grandparents cook the turkey early, I get up with my aunt to make French toast sticks, sausages, and hashbrowns. Last year, we even had a little pancake competition to see who could make the best ones (I still think mine were better).

It doesn't always have to be about food. There are plenty of other ways to create memories this Thanksgiving break that don't require making a full-size meal. Movies were always a big thing in my family, so we would often watch them together.

But on Thanksgiving, when my siblings and I were little, we would sit on the floor in front of the TV and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Now that I'm old enough, I help with the cooking. But we still leave it running in the background.

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The Takeaway

Thanksgiving break goes by fast, way faster than we want it to. But if you're intentional with how you spend it, you can actually enjoy the time you get. Rest, reset, romanticize the little things, and spend time with the people you love.

This break, get everything done early so you can make memories you'll be grateful for later.