Emily Hakimi
Staff Writer '18
With all the stress that comes with high school, students need a day to press pause and appreciate where they are in life. Privileges are often taken for granted. People forget to appreciate what they have in a hectic school week. Thanksgiving is a day to escape.
When asked what Thanksgiving means to her, sophomore Joelle Etessami paused and simply responded, "Family." Sometimes, all one needs is the very thing that has been there all along. When Joelle was asked to elaborate, she said, "I just love all the traditions. Every year, the women in the family work together as each offers to contribute different dishes, and all of my cousins gather at my grandmother’s house a little more dressed up than usual. You can smell the holiday homeyness in the air." She continued, "When I enter my grandma’s, I make sure to kiss each relative and help set the table. We all dig in on turkey and my aunt's famous pumpkin spice doughnuts, and we digest it through my uncle's witty jokes and the exercise of chasing my baby cousins around. There's nothing like a day dedicated to family." Even in a close-knit family like Joelle's, the simple pleasure of appreciating one another is lost on most other holidays.
When asked of her favorite part of Thanksgiving, junior Daniella Aharoni shared, "Every single year, I start the day by sleeping in for as long as I want. When I finally get up, I go downstairs to the smell of my dad's famous pancakes. The whole family sits together and each member shares what he or she is thankful for. My siblings and I usually say something sarcastic, but my mother says that she is thankful for all of us." Emotional family moments like these do not happen every day; Thanksgiving is not so much about recognizing a national holiday, but about following traditions that can last through generations.
There are certain things that keep people grounded, and without days like Thanksgiving, many students at Great Neck North would feel lost in mayhem. This time around, try to look past what appears to make the holiday, like the turkey and the Macy's Day Parade, to find Thanksgiving’s true significance. Chances to reflect are sparing, so be certain to seize them this year!
Staff Writer '18
With all the stress that comes with high school, students need a day to press pause and appreciate where they are in life. Privileges are often taken for granted. People forget to appreciate what they have in a hectic school week. Thanksgiving is a day to escape.
When asked what Thanksgiving means to her, sophomore Joelle Etessami paused and simply responded, "Family." Sometimes, all one needs is the very thing that has been there all along. When Joelle was asked to elaborate, she said, "I just love all the traditions. Every year, the women in the family work together as each offers to contribute different dishes, and all of my cousins gather at my grandmother’s house a little more dressed up than usual. You can smell the holiday homeyness in the air." She continued, "When I enter my grandma’s, I make sure to kiss each relative and help set the table. We all dig in on turkey and my aunt's famous pumpkin spice doughnuts, and we digest it through my uncle's witty jokes and the exercise of chasing my baby cousins around. There's nothing like a day dedicated to family." Even in a close-knit family like Joelle's, the simple pleasure of appreciating one another is lost on most other holidays.
When asked of her favorite part of Thanksgiving, junior Daniella Aharoni shared, "Every single year, I start the day by sleeping in for as long as I want. When I finally get up, I go downstairs to the smell of my dad's famous pancakes. The whole family sits together and each member shares what he or she is thankful for. My siblings and I usually say something sarcastic, but my mother says that she is thankful for all of us." Emotional family moments like these do not happen every day; Thanksgiving is not so much about recognizing a national holiday, but about following traditions that can last through generations.
There are certain things that keep people grounded, and without days like Thanksgiving, many students at Great Neck North would feel lost in mayhem. This time around, try to look past what appears to make the holiday, like the turkey and the Macy's Day Parade, to find Thanksgiving’s true significance. Chances to reflect are sparing, so be certain to seize them this year!