International College Students Guide, Making An Easy Thanksgiving Feast  

If you are used to celebrating Thanksgiving, we’re sure it’s one of the events you are looking forward to every year. However, what if you are studying in a different country or your family is miles apart? Does that mean you should skip the celebration? That would be sad, wouldn’t it?  

Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. What you can do is to throw a simple Thanksgiving feast right at your dormitory or apartment. Who says that it has to be grand? Just make sure to invite your closest friends and whip something nice to eat. Here are some of the tips you can follow.   

Get Your Turkey … Or Roasted Chicken  

Turkey is the main attraction for Thanksgiving. However, we do understand that there are countries where turkey isn’t rampant. In that case, use an alternative and roast a chicken. Creating a mouth-watering turkey should be easy as there are several recipes online. If you think you can’t do this, then order in advance. A lot of people are offering to cook turkey – so watch out for them.    

Prepare The Mashed Potato   

This is an easy one, isn’t it? Just get some potatoes, boil it, mash it, add some butter, salt and pepper, and a sour cream. You read that right! We love adding sour cream in our mashed potato as it gives that creamy texture and that kick of tangy flavor. It’s the best thing you and your friends will have.   

Invite Only A Few Guests   

Your Thanksgiving party does not have to be fancy. In fact, the simpler, the better. Invite your closest friends in school. It could be someone from your own country or a local whom you would want to share your culture too. The rule of thumb is to invite people you are genuinely grateful for.   

Don’t forget to ask them in advance. After all, they might have blocked the date already. If that’s the case, you can always revise your guest list.   

Suggest A Potluck   

Now, if you do not have all the time and resources to prepare the Thanksgiving feast, then perhaps your friends will agree to have a potluck. It would be ideal to talk about this in advance. That way, every guest would bring something different to the table. Assign someone for the turkey, the pizza, the salad, the drinks, the cornbread, and the desserts.   

And about the drinks, if you plan to have wine or any alcoholic beverage, make sure that it is allowed in your chosen venue. After all, you wouldn’t want to get in trouble – not during Thanksgiving, obviously.   

Look For A Venue   

If you are living in a dormitory, you should ask your RA if your small gathering can be held within the vicinity. Otherwise, look for a unique place to celebrate Thanksgiving. How about the back of your friend’s pickup truck? Or maybe you can find a great camping site?   

As long as you are with the people you value, anywhere would be good.   

Don’t Forget To Decorate   

You don’t need to buy Thanksgiving decorations that will cost a fortune. A good alternative is to print some images downloaded from the internet, change your sheets, and even get affordable candles to match the theme.    

Celebrate Thanksgiving Online   

Just in case all your friends are not available, then you can always celebrate it with your family back home. Let’s thank technology for making it possible. Go have a video call with them as you eat your own delicious food. If you want to prepare your own meal, that’s good. But if you don’t have the time, you can just order from a nice restaurant nearby.   

Don’t Forget To Share What You Are Thankful For   

And of course, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete if you wouldn’t share the things you are grateful for. We know that for others, this might seem a bit too dramatic. But once you do it, you will appreciate your life even more. And as we all know, being an international student isn’t easy. Knowing that you have so many things to be thankful for can ease the feeling of missing your families and friends back home.   

Again, celebrating Thanksgiving shouldn’t break the bank, most especially if you are away from home –  studying, and on a tight budget. Just know which people to invite, learn how to create simple meals, and embrace what the occasion is all about.