Thanksgiving is usually a time to relax with the family, eat lots of food then pass out and sleep. For law students it is a time to relax, a time to study, a time to catch up on work that is due before the semester is over and a time to brace ourselves for the reading period, during which time we each pick the nicest, smoothest, largest rock to call our home for the next three weeks.
Last year during my first 1L Thanksgiving I remember listening to my section-mates as they considered skipping the Thanksgiving holiday to study for finals. At that point I hadn't seen my family in two months. To some, that doesn't seem like a terribly long time. For me, however, it was an eternity.
Growing up in a seven-person household wasn't the most peaceful existence, but I never felt like I was alone. There was always someone to hang out with. Someone was there to watch a movie with me, talk with me, cook with me, or joke around with me.
After two months by myself in my little studio apartment in Crenshaw, I missed my family. Even though it was important for me to be grown-up and independent, it was also important to me that I remain sane and functional. So, I swallowed my pride and followed my gut. I called my parents and begged them to buy me a ticket to come home for Thanksgiving. I was more than thankful to see my family that year.
One of the best lessons I have learned so far in law school is that you should never stop doing what works for you. This year was no different; I knew that family always works.
Happy holidays!
