It’s that time of year: The holiday season, and no matter what you celebrate, you’ll probably be spending lots of time with those people you call family. If you generally like your family and you’re excited about this, then I’m excited for you. If you hate your family, or parts of it, I’m sorry for you.

Family has a lot to do with life and how we live it. If you like your family, you probably spend time with them and take their advice. If you don’t like your family, you probably spend time with other people and ignore their advice. Each of these scenarios has a significant impact on your life.

Despite your familial views, there are a few times a year when you have to see them, regardless. That time is usually the holidays. This Thursday, as some of you may know, is when we all gather to eat too much food in celebration of something relating to our American roots. This is best done over stuffing, wine and that Jell-O pretzel concoction you both love and hate.

If you’re from one of those families who hasn’t missed a Friday night of board games and popcorn since the second grade, then you’re probably finding it difficult to concentrate on anything other than cranberry sauce these days. You’re absolutely thrilled to bond even more with the woman who birthed you or the 10 or so odd cousins who have your same nose. Maybe this week will mark the first time you’ve seen your uncle all year. I’m happy for you. Your green bean casserole is going to taste that much better over conversation of the progression of your college career and his insight on the severity level of a mid-life crisis.

If you aren’t looking forward to awkward conversation with Aunt Edna who has knitted you something pink for your past 20 birthdays, the mere mention of cranberry sauce, Squanto or leftovers probably makes you burp up stomach acid, in which case I’m very sorry if this column is making you at all queasy. You’ll probably find yourself hiding in the bathroom or a dimly lit corner of Aunt Edna’s living room all day. Just know that a good night’s sleep can usually erase the painful memories pretty quickly. If that doesn’t work, mindlessly blowing your semester’s savings on ridiculous Black Friday sales can dull the pain. I suggest 500-thread count cotton sheets for $20 at Wal-Mart or the Hoover WindTunnel Supreme Vacuum from BJ’s Wholesale Club that comes with a two year’s supply of replacement bags for only $99. Is your mouth watering?

The message I have for both types of people out there is the same; Thanksgiving is only one day. So whether you’re struggling to find a way to make it count, absorbing all delicious facets of the yearly celebration or wondering how many glasses of eggnog it takes to magically transform Aunt Edna’s kitchen into something less dreadful, you only have a few hours to do it. Make it count. Happy cranberry sauce eating, Kent State.

Kristine Gill is a junior newspaper journalism major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected] if you want to come to Thanksgiving with her family instead of yours.