As Thanksgiving approached, many students at NECC were eagerly making plans for their Thanksgiving break.
Some were looking forward to spending quality time with family and friends, enjoying traditional meals, and participating in holiday festivities.
Others planned their time to catch up on schoolwork or relax and recharge before the end of the semester.
Gwenyth Zuercher had planned for her Thanksgiving to include “The Turkey Trot” in Newburyport, Massachusetts, for the running club. She has been involved in this event traditionally every year with her family, and she has been doing this since she was 12 years old.
“Run with my friends and family and even help run a hot chocolate stand for the Red Cross Club NHS,” she said.
She is also a math tutor at NECC, and she is majoring in bio-medical engineering.
Oscar Garcia had planned his Thanksgiving this year with his whole family at the Smoke Shop Barbecue Restaurant in Methuen, Massachusetts, by the Ranger Plaza. Each year, his family does something different for Thanksgiving, like one year Garcia and his family would go to their aunt’s house, or his mother would have Thanksgiving in their home. Garcia has been at NECC for one year, and he is majoring in Environmental Science and concentration in meteorology.
“Every cloud carries a lesson. Every sunrise is a promise.”
Serena Rechdan planned her Thanksgiving with her brother, Toufic, with their cousin in Salem, New Hampshire. Sereena is a math tutor at NECC and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She has been at NECC since the Spring of 2024 and will be graduating in the Spring of 2026.
Each student I had the privilege of interviewing had their own traditions of carrying with their own family.
In addition, several students are choosing to give back to their communities during the holiday. Volunteering at local food banks and shelters has become a meaningful tradition for some, allowing them to share the spirit of Thanksgiving with others in need. These acts of service highlight the diverse ways NECC students celebrate the season, whether through cherished family customs or thoughtful community involvement.
My Thanksgiving tradition is spending it with my family and helping by donating to food banks from my church.
“Helping others in need from the heart, but someday you will never know when your heart will be in need.”
