This year, events and activities for Thanksgiving break will more than likely be altered due to COVID-19 and current Los Angeles County restrictions such as restricted in-person dining and 10 p.m. curfew for non-essential businesses. Students like eighth grader Sydney Curry are using the week-long break to “relax” and spend time with family and friends while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

Curry noted that Zoom is an “amazing” way to regroup with family and friends because of the “crazy year” teenagers have had with attending online school and having to readjust their initial schedules for the year.

“I think this break especially is really important because I know for me, right around this time of year I start feeling overwhelmed with school,” Curry said. “With us being at home it’s really hard to draw boundaries between home and school.”

Curry said that this year she wants to do something with her friends online for Thanksgiving “since it will not be the same” in comparison to the past Thanksgiving celebrations she has had.

“Even if [my friends and I] are just watching a Thanksgiving themed movie, or hanging out I really want to show my gratitude towards them and my family,” Curry said.

Junior Isabella Specchierla is “excited” for the break because she gets a chance to sleep more and that this break is going to be an “amazing stress reliever” from school to be more “creative” with her artwork.

“I will have more time to do art which I don’t get the time to do normally,” Specchierrla said. “I’m excited to just sit down and relax and de-stress with the art hobbies that I like to do when I have free time.”

Sophomore Noor Afshar said that not being able to travel or see family is “hard” and said that this break is a “great time” to catch up with her family and to take care of her own mental health.

“I think that overall it is not going to be too much of a paradise but instead it’s going to be more of a way to get centered with our own selves and our mental health,” Afshar said.

Afshar said that the only thing that will be the same this year is spending time with her family and friends while also staying safe.

“Having really fun dinners, making fun foods, just truly loving each other and spending a good night together is something I can’t wait to do,” Afshar said.

Specchierla expressed that she felt not as “excited” as she would be for past Thanksgiving dinners but is “looking forward” to what is in store for this year.

“It’s probably going to be a small Thanksgiving with my immediate family this year and I am staying positive about it,” Specchierla said. “I’m not disappointed which is good and I am honestly looking forward to seeing how different it’s going to be.”