Although Thanksgiving break will be a little different this year, SA faculty and students are still planning on making the most of it, whether it be going to football games, eating good food, or spending time with friends and family. History Department Chair James Foley plans on staying home this year but is curious to see how traveling plays out with COVID numbers still rising. 

     “I think Thanksgiving will be different this year because of restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic,” Foley said. “I am wondering if the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade has been canceled, which I would imagine to be the case. I will also be curious to see how many Americans travel over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, which is usually the busiest travel time of the year. As for me, Thanksgiving will be fairly typical. I will eat at home.”

     Senior Grace Ellen Crongeyer and her family had planned to travel somewhere up north for the break; however, due to limitations with COVID, they were unable to go.

     “My family normally travels during Thanksgiving, and we were planning on taking a trip to New York, Chicago, or D.C.,” Crongeyer said. “But those places all have blocks against people from Mississippi  because of COVID-19, and we would have to quarantine 14 days before going out to those places.”

      Since traveling long-distance still isn’t safe, Crongeyer, like many other students, plans on driving to Oxford, Mississippi to watch Ole Miss play Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. 

     “We are going to Oxford to watch the football game over the break,” Senior Sarah Beth Greener said. “We try to go to every Egg Bowl if it’s in Oxford.”

     Football has always played a big role over Thanksgiving break. Former SA student Bella Brumfield and her family have always taken the Egg Bowl very seriously. It’s even become a tradition over the years. 

     “The Brumfield’s are big Mississippi State fans, so every Thanksgiving break everyone on my dad’s side of the family comes together and we watch the egg-bowl together,” Brumfield said. “Whenever the game takes place in Starkville we all go. However, if not, we watch it on TV. It has turned into a fun family tradition.”

     Football is especially important this year as many more people will be at home and will need a means of entertainment. Senior Trey Hebert plans on watching many games over the break as he doesn’t plan on traveling. 

     “I’ll watch a good amount of football over the break, not an unhealthy amount though, definitely the games on Thanksgiving day: the LSU game, the Saints game, and college football rivalry week,” Hebert said. 

     Despite the limitations this year with COVID-19, people are still finding ways to make Thanksgiving break enjoyable and entertaining.