I know that home is where your heart is, but this Thanksgiving I wanted my heart to be back in Georgia. Out of all my years at Ohio State, I've never spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta. I would always still have class on the Wednesday before so unless I skipped it, I would be forced to fly out late that night or early Thanksgiving day, which would be so tough and expensive, especially just to come right back on Sunday. And I would know with both my parents formerly working in the airlines that Thanksgiving is the busiest time of the year to travel.
But everything has always worked out holiday after holiday since I still have some family here in Ohio. My oldest sister, who graduated from Ohio State in 2006 now works at OSU and lives near Easton Mall so my mother and my other sister, who graduated in 2007 came up here for Turkey Day. Although we haven't had our traditional Thanksgiving in the comfort of our own home in a while we just adapt to our situation and know that we have a lot to be thankful for no matter where we are.
Plus, I still get the whole Christmas break to go back home and chill, and it would seem pretty pointless to go back home and then come right back to Ohio just to go back to Georgia in a week.

I always thought that at least one year I would spend Thanksgiving at a friend's house in like Cincinnati, Cleveland or Dayton, but surprisingly most of my college friend's are from out-of-state as well so they're busy trying to go home and mostly everyone else takes off by Tuesday night. I love my Ohio friends and all, but I don't even know if I'm ready to spend an entire holiday weekend with them. Any other time would seem fine but coming at a time when all their family is going to be there seems a bit intrusive, and I would feel out of place. It's like going to your friend's family reunion...like why go? It's not your family! And I don't know half the people at my own family reunion, let alone meeting an entirely new crew.

Deciding where to spend the Holidays is a big deal when you attend school far from home. There's just so much to factor in, and instead of planning on making a quick 2-hour drive, you have to make flight arrangements, get a bus ticket or go along with a friend. At least it kind of prepares you for life after college if your job ends up being many miles away from home, you'll already know what to do. :-)

Here's my family out at Longhorn Steakhouse the day after Thanksgiving