During my undergraduate work, Thanksgiving break was like the home stretch of the semester-long race. Classes were winding down, and when I went back to school I only had one week of class, then finals, and then the month off for winter break. Thanksgiving break, though, never really felt long enough. There were really only two days off, but because winter break was so soon after, it didn’t really matter. The timeline for Thanksgiving break is essentially the same in the MMS program, but I guess it feels a little more special now.

Because the MMS program moves so quickly and we are learning so much information in a short period of time, the program feels like a full-time job. Classes are rigorous and challenging, and the schedule is pretty packed. Thanksgiving, then, has been a real relief from the semester. It feels great to have some time off from classes and homework, and to be able to connect with family and friends without too many time constraints.

Most of my friends in the MMS program went home for Thanksgiving to visit their families, and to eat their fill of turkey and cranberry sauce. There were a few students, however, who stayed in Durham and spent Thanksgiving here. One of the great things about being at Fuqua and in the MMS program is that there is always someone to hang out with. For students who stayed in Durham, Fuqua hosted a Thanksgiving dinner so students could come and eat with their fellow Fuquans. I felt like this was a very nice effort on the part of staff and faculty at Fuqua, knowing that there would be students who would not be going home for the break. Hopefully these students felt like they were at home, and were able to have a nice Thanksgiving holiday with friends.

To everyone reading the blog, I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving break, and that you are all looking forward to the end of your semesters and the beginning of the holidays.