Studying for exams, picking up extra shifts at work to save money and now, the holidays! With so much on her plate, Valerie Martinez (sophomore, Criminal Justice) decided to not go back home for this Thanksgiving break.
“I live five hours away from Stan and I work Black Friday early morning so the traffic is not worth it,” Martinez said.
Martinez’s situation is more common among college students, especially those who live far away from California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State).
Another student, Rafael Calpena (freshman, Computer Science), decided to celebrate an alternate version of Thanksgiving which involves friends, budgeting and a fun time called “Friendsgiving”.
Celebrating Thanksgiving with friends can be a fun way to share the holiday with traditional family plans. Just because celebrating Thanksgiving twice equals more food and more money to be spent, doesn’t mean it can’t be reasonable for us college students.
In Calpena’s case, “Friendsgiving” will be the only time he celebrates Thanksgiving.
“I have never celebrated Thanksgiving before because it’s not really a tradition in my country; however, I intend to celebrate Thanksgiving with my friends who also study at Stan State,” Calpena said.
Calpena is an international student from Brazil who will not be able to return home this holiday season. When asked what his version of “Friendsgiving” is, he said that he might take a trip with friends and find a cheap hostel.
If you find yourself sharing a story similar to Valeria and Rafael’s, or if you just want to try a new experience, “Friendsgiving” is the way to go. 
Follow this quick and easy how-to guide to (pumpkin) spice up your Thanksgiving.
First, choose the amount of friends you want to invite and give everyone a price range. This way, there is no pressure to bring more food or spend more money than one another.
Make a list of potential dishes that would be good to have at the table, and have your friends sign up for what they want to bring. This potluck style for a “Friendsgiving” will save a lot of money and still fill up your stomach with traditional Thanksgiving food.
One of the easiest and cheapest dishes to make is Candied Yams with Marshmallows. The recipe can be found here.
All you need to purchase for this is yams, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and marshmallows. This meal can be made for approximately ten dollars or less based off of Walmart’s “Great Value” brand pricing. 
The recipe will yield about 8 servings and only take about 42 minutes to make.
If you’re hosting the “Friendsgiving” feast, plan some fun games and throw some decorations on the wall for a cool photo backdrop. You can also ask friends and family to bring extra tables and chairs to save some extra money.
As the fabulous host, grab the turkey a week ahead of time since it is harder for guests to cook and transport the turkey. Consider the recommended amount of one pound per person when looking for the size; this will prevent a turkey shortage.
If you’re not comfortable with turkey preparation and cooking, check local stores such as Safeway, FoodMaxx or Walmart for precooked or roasted turkey.
When your guests start trickling in, hand them a note card to set on top of the dish they brought. On the note card they can write their name and describe why they picked that dish or what they used to make it. Wouldn’t you want to show off your green bean casserole?
Don’t forget to reach out to coworkers or friends from class that may not have plans to travel home for Thanksgiving. This gives you the opportunity to make someone’s holiday special, even if it doesn’t sound like the traditional family dinner.
Lastly, make sure everyone brings a container to take leftover food home. Everyone loves some good leftovers!
Find more easy and inexpensive recipes for students on a budget here.