When this issue of the coveted Truman State University student newspaper The Index comes out on Thursday [Nov 18th] it will be a week until Thanksgiving day. I hope everybody can return home safely to enjoy it with their family.
For me, Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and simmer down before the end of semester blitz. Projects, finals and applications galore await many of the student body as we approach the end of this semester.
Let me break down the Thanksgiving day routine that I personally partake in. This is probably very similar to what some people experience.
The night before Thanksgiving I often stay up relatively late with my family for the prep. This includes preparing the turkey, maybe some pies and other goodies.
Luckily for a sports fan like me, the NBA has a full plate of games to watch for most of the night. After all, who doesn’t love watching Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors shoot logo threes with throwback R&B music playing from the kitchen?
Thanksgiving day is a hustle and bustle of bodies rotating in and out of the kitchen. I am tasked with making the mac and cheese each year, and let me say, I make a great mac and cheese.
We eat the actual meal during a variety of times. Sometimes we eat by 11 a.m., and sometimes we eat between 4 and 5 p.m. Either way, there is another thing besides good food going on that I love about Thanksgiving.
Starting during 2006, the NFL implemented a three-game Thanksgiving schedule. The Detroit Lions host a game each year, as well as the Dallas Cowboys. The third game is up for grabs between division rivals and is featured in a special prime time slot.
Here’s some quick hitting points to impress any NFL fan this Thanksgiving. The only value in the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears game is Bear’s quarterback Justin Fields, their rookie who is supposed to save the franchise. Check it out on Fox kicking off at noon.
Looking at the Dallas Cowboys versus the Las Vegas Raiders game, expect big plays from Cowboy’s cornerback Trevon Diggs, who leads the NFL in interceptions with eight. You can catch this game at 3:25 p.m. on CBS.
The night cap will be a cross-conference matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints. Both teams are actually pretty similar to each other in terms of record and team personnel, so this might be the best game of the day. Kickoff is at 7:20 p.m. on NBC.
Even for those who aren’t sports fans, something special is in the air when there’s a big turkey on the table and the sports fans in your life are yelling at the television.
For me the post meal nap is always a welcome addition.
The deadly post-meal Thanksgiving day nap comes in a variety of ways. It starts when I briefly rest my eyes to try to digest all the food I’ve just eaten. But then, I must forget to open my eyes back up because I usually wake up about three hours later to a primetime NFL game. Waking up from that turkey coma to the football game revitalizes me and might even be enough for me to get another small plate of Thanksgiving fixings.
Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and being thankful for all the little things. I’m thankful for everyone that reads The Index and the editorial staff that I get to work alongside. Happy Thanksgiving to all and enjoy that well-deserved break from school!