Thanksgiving, But Make It Global
Photo by Unsplash
How International Students Experience America’s Biggest Family Holiday
As November settles in and campus begins to empty out, one thing becomes impossible to miss: Thanksgiving season has arrived. Grocery stores fill with pumpkin pies, dining halls switch to turkey-themed menus, and almost every conversation ends with, “So… what are you doing for break?”
For many international students, the answer is not as straightforward. Thanksgiving is one of the most deeply American holidays, a celebration built around family reunions, traditional meals, and long-held rituals. But for students who did not grow up with the holiday, November looks and feels a little distinct. Instead of returning to childhood homes, many stay on or near campus, creating their own versions of the tradition.
As a representation for domestic students, Thanksgiving arrives with built-in memories: familiar recipes, relatives gathering in noisy kitchens, the same debates every year about who makes the best stuffing. International students, however, often encounter the holiday for the first time in college.
“It is a holiday you learn by watching everyone around you get excited,” said an international student from India. “At first, you do not really know the customs, you just know there is turkey involved.”
While some students learn about the meaning of Thanksgiving through roommates or classmates who invite them home, many simply observe the shift in atmosphere: stores closing early, streets getting quieter, and social media turning into an endless stream of family photos and food spreads.
Experiencing Thanksgiving break for the first time often surprises international students. Campus becomes noticeably still, dining halls close early, the dorms get much quieter, and Uber rides suddenly take much longer, due to everyone traveling.
For some, this quiet is peaceful. For others, it can feel a bit lonely. To adjust, many students use the break to catch up on sleep, visit nearby cities, cook with friends, attend local community dinners, join classmates’ family celebrations, and explore parts of American culture they have not experienced yet. Thanksgiving becomes less about the holiday itself and more about how they choose to fill the time.
Additionally, because so many international students do not leave for break, universities have become more intentional and participate more in creating community events. At Pacific, the international programs office and student clubs often host dinners, potlucks, or “Friendsgiving” gatherings where everyone brings a dish from home.
These hybrid meals become their own cultural exchange: mashed potatoes next to dumplings, pumpkin pie next to tres leches, and a table full of students explaining dishes from their childhoods. “It feels like our own version of Thanksgiving,” says a Peruvian student. “We might not have grown up with it, but we create something that feels familiar.
By sophomore or junior year, many international students become Thanksgiving pros. They know which grocery stores sell the best pies, how to make a makeshift Friendsgiving meal in a dorm kitchen, and that “Black Friday” is not an actual holiday, but still somehow feels like one. Even if the holiday is not part of their cultural background, students often adopt pieces of it that feel meaningful: sharing food, being with friends, taking a break from schoolwork.
For international students, Thanksgiving becomes a unique fusion of cultures and experiences. It is not inherited through childhood memories, but built through college friendships and the shared reality of living far from home. No two experiences look the same. A lot of students join American families for the first time. Others celebrate with their own friends. Some keep the holiday casual; others fully embrace the food and festivities.
But across campus, one thing stays consistent: Thanksgiving becomes less about being American, and more about creating a moment of connection, no matter where you are from.