Editorial
Thanksgiving table may not be best time for political debate
November 17, 2016
Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and for many students at UW-River Falls, this means a trip home to see family. While some students may visit home regularly, others might not mesh with their families so well and may even dread the holiday season.
This election was one of the most emotionally-draining events for our generation thus far, so naturally, we may not always agree with our family members or their choices politically. For those of us who are returning home, we need to remember to be civil with our family members who might offer opinions different from ours.
A good way to remedy these tensions is to politely change the subject if you think a certain topic of conversation will lead to an argument. Say your Uncle Milton, between bites of turkey, decides that Thanksgiving dinner is an appropriate time to voice his support for a political candidate who you most definitely do not support. Instead of trying to refute his arguments or get your own points across, it might be better to just choose that moment to tell everyone how much you love the stuffing.
However, if you do end up in an argument this Thanksgiving, try to be thankful for the people around you. Be appreciative that you’re surrounded by people who love you, even if those people are getting on your nerves.
There are other things to be thankful for, as well. We’re lucky enough to attend a university that cares about us, and one that will continue to care about us after we graduate. Where else can you, when you’re in the middle of an extremely rough emotional patch and feel like the world is ending, talk to professionals on your own campus for free? After we graduate, we can also still utilize Career Services. We have access to a relatively safe community and are able to get a UW System education rather affordably, compared to some other UW schools.
Above all, just remember to take a few minutes to reflect on what you have, even if your family drives you nuts or even if the food isn’t actually that good. Have a safe Thanksgiving break, and be grateful for what you have, even if what you have includes your annoying Uncle Milton.