Thanksgiving

Lauren Lee

“Finally,” Albert Jeong (12) groaned loudly at the sound of Wednesday’s school bell. School was officially out, and the long weekend looked amazing from where most students were standing. The much-anticipated four-day break celebrated gratitude, rest, and thankfulness with family and community. However, the iconic American holiday wasn’t celebrated by everyone: to some, it was a huge family occasion, while to others, it simply acted as a promising and relaxing long weekend.

Dalat’s high schoolers took advantage of this break in many different ways—while some students took the break to get some well-needed rest, some were stuffed with the busyness of organizing Thanksgiving lunches and dinners. For others, this four-day weekend was good just to have extra time for academics, especially with the December SAT coming up.

Thanksgiving planning seemed to be the most popular event of the weekend, though, as the American tradition is a popular one amongst Dalat staff members and students. “Dalat’s tight-knit community also means lots of visitors, so we have to prepare for that, but it’s worth it, because Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays,” said Elisabeth Kilgo (12). “We had three different pies, one turkey, and lots of other side dishes on our dining table. The prep was lots of work, but it paid off.”

Full of food and time with family, it’s understandable why so many people love the celebration. 

Those who didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving still had fun, though. For example, many students said it was a really refreshing break: after being crushed by all the overwhelming work that teachers always try to squeeze in before long weekends, it’s nice to have the days off.

Freshman Esther Lo explained, “My family doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, but the long weekend was an amazing time to just relax, spend time with my friends and family, and just not think about school.”

From watching movies to trying new restaurants in Georgetown, Dalat’s high schoolers really took advantage of these four days with enjoyment.

Thanksgiving is a time of reflecting, celebrating, and being grateful, and this break certainly did that for lots of students. With nothing pressuring like sports practice or big projects going on, this four-day weekend didn’t just bring a time of thanksgiving but a time of relaxation for Dalat’s well-deserving and hardworking students. Ready to get back on the grind this week, this break helped refresh students for the upcoming flurry leading up to Christmas break.