By Michael Glenn
Teen-Age Dirtbag
To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of Thanksgiving food.
While I’m always going to be a lover of a good mashed potato or pumpkin pie, I’ve never jumped out of my seat for a piece of turkey or green bean casserole.
We all have our preferences for what we like to have at our Thanksgiving table. If you’re reading this on the day of publication, you may already be preparing for an influx of family and friends at your house or figuring out where you’re going to spend your annual Thursday afternoon and evening.
For me, a constant reminder of Thanksgiving (and the holiday season at large) was the incessant cleaning my mom made us do before we had company over. As we were cleaning, I’d hear the electric whisker stirring away at the potatoes we peeled earlier that morning.
Even though the day or two of prep work before Thanksgiving wasn’t very fun, the time we’d finally get to see all our family who came to share the meal with us was always worth it.
This year, the University Daily Kansan editorial team had a “Friendsgiving” where each one of us brought food to share. From cookies and homemade vegan Snickers bars to two whole chickens, we had a good time sharing conversations and eating together before the dreaded finals week, not long after Thanksgiving ends.
There’s always been a unique bond between journalists in the newsroom. There are often many bits of information journalists acquire that they can’t share publicly because of the nature of the content. However, journalists often connect with other writers by asking for advice on a given story or discussing a current one.
Every profession has its own unique inroads and ways that workers use to communicate, learn and laugh about. Sometimes, just talking to someone else who has been in your shoes once or twice before is the best way to get out of a rut. I know I’ve definitely leaned on other reporters and editors in the industry for advice, and I’ve seldom been disappointed or left without a sense of direction.
It’s these bonds with our families, friends and colleagues that keep us going and make the holiday season so magical. Since I’ve been away from home most of this semester, I’m excited to see family and friends from Hutch this Thanksgiving.
I hope this holiday season, we all take a moment to greet and share conversations. While social media and the internet can keep us quasi-connected, in-person conversations where you can make eye contact, shake a hand or give a hug are infinitely more valuable.
However you spend your Thanksgiving this year, I hope you enjoy the food, connections and holiday cheer. Whether you’re passing a piece of turkey, a football or even the TV remote to watch the Chiefs game, make sure you connect with the person on the other end of that handoff. It’s these relationships that make us who we are, our family, friends and colleagues.
Happy Thanksgiving, Hutch.
Michael Glenn is the founding publisher of The Hutchinson Tribune and a current student at the University of Kansas. He can be reached at mglenn@hutchtribune.com.