麻豆精品 S淲hat we learn about history depends on who was able to write down firsthand accounts and preserve them, 麻豆精品 S� says UCF Associate Professor of History Rosalind Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淎s we discover more information, it can change our perspective. 麻豆精品 S�

Beiler teaches the history of New England, including the landing of the Mayflower, which happened on Nov. 11, 1620. Some students said they 麻豆精品 S檇 only learned one thing about the events in grade school: The Pilgrims sailed to the New World, made friends and enjoyed the first Thanksgiving feast.

麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e learned, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler, 麻豆精品 S渢hat it wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 so easy. 麻豆精品 S�

Here is what her research tells us:

1. The story we 麻豆精品 S檙e most familiar with comes from one dominant source.

William Bradford was among the Puritans who wanted to break from England 麻豆精品 S檚 rule over the way Christians could worship and raise their children. Bradford kept a journal documenting before, during and after the Mayflower 麻豆精品 S檚 Atlantic crossing.

麻豆精品 S淲e have bits of information from other diaries, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler, 麻豆精品 S渂ut for the most part, a lot of what we know has been filtered through Bradford 麻豆精品 S檚 accounts. 麻豆精品 S�

We know what we know because he wrote it down.

2. The Pilgrims tried living in the Netherlands before coming to America.

The Puritans and the Pilgrims (a cross-section of Puritans) first traveled to the Netherlands to establish a Christian church that would be free of government influence. There, they had to learn a new language and new customs. Many of them labored as textile workers when they had been farmers at home. They also became concerned that their children were not growing up English 麻豆精品 S� they were being integrated into Dutch society.

麻豆精品 S淥ne of my students said this part of the story helped her understand what it 麻豆精品 S檚 like to be an immigrant, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别y left behind everything they knew and had to find their way in a new place. 麻豆精品 S�

After 12 years, in 1620, they decided to sail to the New World, where they could worship freely and develop an English culture.

3. The Mayflower originally was set to sail with a sister ship.

The Pilgrims initially sailed from the Netherlands back to England on a ship called the Speedwell. In England, they met up with other passengers before leaving for the long trip to North America on the Speedwell and the Mayflower. The Speedwell didn 麻豆精品 S檛 get far before it started to take on water and all passengers had to then board the Mayflower, though some on the original passenger list stayed home.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别 Mayflower was crowded, 麻豆精品 S� Beiler says of the 102 passengers and 30 crewmembers on the 100-foot ship. 麻豆精品 S淏ut they found out later they actually could have used more 辫别辞辫濒别. 麻豆精品 S�

4. Delays forced them to sail as winter approached.

It took nearly three months to secure supplies and manually load supplies. Instead of crossing the ocean in June, they wound up battling the storms and cold of late fall.

麻豆精品 S淲e can 麻豆精品 S檛 imagine what it was like for them to arrive in a brutally cold and strange place, to be sick and to have loved ones dying, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淎nd remember, they had no time to rest. They had to immediately start building a community so they could survive. 麻豆精品 S�

5. Many famous Americans can be traced to Mayflower

John Howland, an indentured servant on the Mayflower, almost flipped overboard during a storm, but miraculously grabbed a rope on his way into the sea. Howland lived, got married and had a number of children who continued a lineage to the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson and George Bush (both of them). In fact, at least nine U.S. presidents could follow their genealogy to Mayflower passengers.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别re 麻豆精品 S檚 no telling how many people can trace their ancestry back to the few dozen passengers who survived illness and danger on the Mayflower voyage, 麻豆精品 S� Beiler says.

6. Nearly half of the Pilgrims and Puritans died during the voyage.

Only 50 of the original 102 passengers survived the first winter. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别y weren 麻豆精品 S檛 thinking about colonizing, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别y were simply figuring out how to eat and stay warm in this new place. 麻豆精品 S�

7. An epidemic had just decimated Native Americans.

The English settlers found what they probably considered a blessing from God: an area of cleared land suitable for a village. Actually, it had already been a village known as Pautuxet. From 1616-19, an epidemic killed about 2,000 Wampanoag people who lived there. But when the Pilgrims arrived in November 1620, Tisquantum (Squanto) was the only one lone survivor in the village.

麻豆精品 S淗e brought Massasoit, a Wampanoag Sachem from another village, to make an alliance with the Pilgrims, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别y all needed each other as allies during a time of tremendous loss for both groups. 麻豆精品 S�

8. Yes, corn probably did save lives.

It 麻豆精品 S檚 true that Tisquantum taught the immigrants from Europe a new form of agriculture: controlled burns to clear portions of land so they could grow beans, squash and maize (corn).

麻豆精品 S淭丑别 Pilgrims and Puritans had no choice but to do what the Wampanoag Indians taught them, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檙e also pretty sure they stole some seed from a Native American village during that first year and later went back to make reparations. 麻豆精品 S�

9. The first Thanksgiving was held a year after the Mayflower

How could the Mayflower passengers lose more than half of their community, even entire families, and a year later set aside a day for a 麻豆精品 S渉arvest celebration? 麻豆精品 S�

They didn 麻豆精品 S檛, at least not exactly.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别 first Thanksgiving in 1621 was an expression of gratitude, but not just for an abundance of food, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别y were grateful to be alive while also mourning the loss of so many loved ones. 麻豆精品 S�

10. The lessons of Thanksgiving were quickly forgotten.

Once the Pilgrims began to settle, they sent word back to England for others to come join them. The later arrivals, however, didn 麻豆精品 S檛 value the local wisdom of the Wampanoag.

麻豆精品 S淎s more people arrived, tensions between the English and Native Americans grew, 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler.

The new settlers brought domesticated animals to help with farming. They fenced in their crops and allowed the animals to roam outside those fences. The animals decimated the Native Americans 麻豆精品 S� fields. This would be among the early signs of English groups forcing their cultural will on Native Americans.

11. North America was really a New-ish

By the time the Mayflower arrived, French and Dutch colonies were already fishing and gathering along the East Coast. The Spanish had settled in Florida decades earlier. So, if the Mayflower 麻豆精品 S檚 passengers weren 麻豆精品 S檛 the first Europeans to arrive, why are they so prominent in our history books?

麻豆精品 S淲e call where they landed 麻豆精品 S楴ew England, 麻豆精品 S� in part, because guess who won the subsequent wars? 麻豆精品 S� says Beiler. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别 English also did something very important, thanks to William Bradford. 麻豆精品 S�

They told their story.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别re are a lot of studies that show that our thoughts lead first, then our emotions follow, 麻豆精品 S� says W. Steven Saunders, UCF associate lecturer of psychology and a licensed psychologist. 麻豆精品 S淕iven that, establishing positive emotions or wellbeing 麻豆精品 S� even in the face of difficult things happening in your life 麻豆精品 S� by practicing gratitude can psychologically shifts your attention to things that are actually going right in your life. 麻豆精品 S�

Understanding the Benefits

Thanksgiving is a time when people typically express their appreciation for their family, friends, or a delicious meal, but the changes and challenges of this year may make it hard to find this spirit.

麻豆精品 S淲hether you 麻豆精品 S檙e talking to older relatives or younger friends over the holidays, talk with them about if they 麻豆精品 S檝e seen anything good come out of this strange, bizarre year and it might be interesting to see what different generations have to say about that, 麻豆精品 S� says Linda Simmons 麻豆精品 S�20惭础, aa staff therapist who supports students through the 麻豆精品 S檚 Counseling and Wellness Services.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别 most reliable research suggests there is an indirect impact on physical health. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Linda Simmons 麻豆精品 S�20惭础, College of Medicine staff therapist

Regardless, gratitude can be a daily practice that has long-term effects. Over the past decade, many studies on gratitude have shown varying advantages, such as improving sleep and mental health, reducing ailments, and even boosting your immune system.

But the benefits may not happen the way you think.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别 most reliable research suggests there is an indirect impact on physical health, 麻豆精品 S� says Simmons, who recently earned a master 麻豆精品 S檚 in counselor education from UCF. 麻豆精品 S淕ratitude can help you receive the benefits of greater emotional well-being, psychological health, and social health, which can cause people to be more likely to take care of themselves physically and their medical health needs. 麻豆精品 S�

And while there have been mixed results on gratitude 麻豆精品 S檚 ability to influence levels of depression, Saunders notes that positive and negative emotions have a hard time coexisting together.

麻豆精品 S淲hen you purposely set up a positive emotion, it cascades and helps you feel good more often, 麻豆精品 S� Saunders says.

Authenticity is Key

Some people are naturally predisposed to a more negative outlook, making it harder to find things to be thankful for than others, Simmons says. Even if you 麻豆精品 S檙e a glass-half-full type of person, it may be challenging some days to maintain your gratitude.

麻豆精品 S淥ne thing we don 麻豆精品 S檛 find very helpful is forced gratitude. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Linda Simmons 麻豆精品 S�20惭础, College of Medicine staff therapist

麻豆精品 S淥ne thing we don 麻豆精品 S檛 find very helpful is forced gratitude, 麻豆精品 S� Simmons says. 麻豆精品 S淚 wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 advise launching into a person for whom gratitude doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 come easy or telling someone to 麻豆精品 S楯ust look on the bright side. 麻豆精品 S� Oftentimes that actually makes a person feel less positive. 麻豆精品 S�

Instead, take time to truly process whatever you 麻豆精品 S檙e feeling, especially if you 麻豆精品 S檝e lost experiences, people or opportunities in the past year. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone else is to just listen.

麻豆精品 S淎 lot of negativity is fear-based and we 麻豆精品 S檙e living in an age where there 麻豆精品 S檚 a lot of fear going around, 麻豆精品 S� Saunders says. 麻豆精品 S淲hat we know about psychology is the more you talk about your feelings and emotions the more they change. So approaching someone with compassion and really listening can really make a difference. 麻豆精品 S�

Once, you 麻豆精品 S檙e ready to start focusing on the positive, Saunders says you should develop a ritual or routine around the value that is meaningful to you.

Grow Your Gratitude

Gratitude is a like a muscle and like any muscle consistent exercise is necessary for growth. One common practice is the 麻豆精品 S淭丑别 Big Three, 麻豆精品 S� naming or writing a list of three things you 麻豆精品 S檙e grateful for each day. Keeping a gratitude journal can benefit you personally, as well as professionally. A study conducted by UCF researchers earlier this year found the habit can lead employees to exhibit less rude behavior and mistreatment of others in the workplace.

Another method is writing a letter to someone who has made a difference in your life. Although gratitude can make a difference even when you keep it to yourself, sharing your appreciating with others can help spread positive feelings and strengthen your relationships.

When giving thanks to a loved one, a new study published in Sage Journals found it 麻豆精品 S檚 best to be specific about how they helped support your needs. It also found that you should avoid pointing out sacrifices an individual has made for you since it diminishes their altruistic motivation for doing so.

麻豆精品 S淓ven if you don 麻豆精品 S檛 have a spiritual or religious belief, you can still practice gratitude in some simple ways every day. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� W. Steven Saunders, psychology associate lecturer

麻豆精品 S淲hatever your personal belief system might be, you can incorporate that, 麻豆精品 S� Saunders says. 麻豆精品 S淓ven if you don 麻豆精品 S檛 have a spiritual or religious belief, you can still practice gratitude in some simple ways every day. 麻豆精品 S�

Simmons, who has experience as a Presbyterian minister and a hospital chaplain, says gratitude is an important value and practice in most major world religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.

麻豆精品 S淔or some people, gratitude is spiritual. For other people, it 麻豆精品 S檚 interpersonal. But it 麻豆精品 S檚 outside ourselves in some way, something we didn 麻豆精品 S檛 make happen, cause, create, or earn 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 given to us as a gift, 麻豆精品 S� Simmons says. 麻豆精品 S淭o me, gratitude is an invitation to say 麻豆精品 S業 wonder if that 麻豆精品 S檚 the only way we can look at this day, week, month, season or year? Is there a way we can look at not just what we lost or missed, but what we learned, what is new about a circumstance or what brought us closer? 麻豆精品 S� Most of us have never been through a pandemic before, and we don 麻豆精品 S檛 know how to handle it, so however we 麻豆精品 S檝e handled it is OK. 麻豆精品 S�

Students struggling with maintaining their emotional and mental well-being can find support through . UCF employees and their dependents can take advantage of the聽, which provides confidential, short-term counseling at no cost.

He says something along the lines of: 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 pretty sure the Pilgrims at Plymouth did not have pernil on their table during their Thanksgiving celebration. 麻豆精品 S� (For the uninitiated, pernil is a traditional pork roast dish in many Caribbean countries.)

This UCF Forum was written long before COVID-19. The author says her family will observe the holidays more privately this year and will heed all CDC guidelines. 麻豆精品 S淭丑别re are a lot of treasured folks in our midst 麻豆精品 S� and we are not taking chances. 麻豆精品 S�

What? Pernil, rice and beans, rice and peas, yellow plantain casserole, Bustelo in abundant quantities, Dominican cake, tres leches and flan are not staples of everyone 麻豆精品 S檚 Thanksgiving dinner? Who knew? I certainly didn 麻豆精品 S檛.

But I do know that just as the settlers who started this tradition, we Americans of Hispanic descent are as invested as everyone else in the celebration of Thanksgiving.

There are so many things to be grateful for: freedom of expression, friendships, free enterprise, educational opportunities and societal mobility, among countless more. In short, all the characteristics that make our country great.

Thanksgiving is a time when we, as a nation, put our problems on hold and reflect on our many blessings and good fortune.

How exactly do we do this? Well, apparently not in a one-size-fits-all fashion.

I was born in New York and have always lived in the United States except for four years I lived in the Dominican Republic as a child. And for as long as I can remember, my extended family 麻豆精品 S檚 Thanksgiving celebrations have been hosted by whoever happened to have the biggest house capable of accommodating our huge family: my maternal grandparents, my 12 aunts and uncles and their spouses, my 30-plus cousins, (and their significant others), and children, in addition to extended family in the area and out-of-town guests. It 麻豆精品 S檚 a dressy occasion, and while attendance is not 麻豆精品 S渕andatory, 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 understood by all that it is mandatory.

Over the past decade, however, given that our family is now split between New York City and Florida, attendance has declined a bit. 聽We now average between 60 and 70 people because not everyone can make it here. (But we keep in constant touch in other ways. Gracias, Facebook!)

Dinner is usually held around 8 p.m.听 The gathering is filled with laughter, storytelling, the constant inventory of who and what dish has arrived and which ones are missing 麻豆精品 S� and, of course, good music.

As you can imagine, the food is divided among different families. After all, home cooking for this small army is no small task. Luckily, my mom and aunts take charge of dividing the cooking responsibilities and they each have their specialty. My mom is the pastelon-queen (yellow plantain casserole); Tia Irene is the chicken-and-turkey-stew goddess; Tia Luisa and Tia Tago are Martha Stewart 麻豆精品 S檚 Dominican counterparts; Tia Caridad is a rice connoisseur; Tia Mary is a dessert expert, etc.

As for me and my generational counterparts, we are usually assigned the plasticware, beverages, green salad, etc. (You know, the really hard stuff). From time to time, however, we are also assigned some kind of 麻豆精品 S渢raditional 麻豆精品 S� dish (such as the pernil), which using the language of today 麻豆精品 S檚 global economy, we often enthusiastically outsource to a bodega.

In light of my husband 麻豆精品 S檚 dismay at the inaccuracy (unauthenticity?) of our Thanksgiving dinner selections, and in the interest of exposing our daughters to mainstream culture, last year during Thanksgiving week I decided to enlist our daughters 麻豆精品 S� help in researching what the Pilgrims enjoyed at their Thanksgiving feast. I challenged our girls to research ingredients and preparation instructions and told them our immediate family of four would observe a mini-Thanksgiving dinner on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. So yes, I was going to debut in the turkey department!

And finally, at least for me, I was going to be able solve the 麻豆精品 S渕ystery 麻豆精品 S� of the cranberry sauce I had heard about but didn 麻豆精品 S檛 know what it was for, what it tasted like, was it a dipping sauce for the vegetables, or was it meant to be eaten on its own?

My girls and I gathered plenty of information, drafted our grocery list, and enlisted the help of a Publix employee to help us find some of the ingredients. I 麻豆精品 S檓 happy to report that we made stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy from scratch, in addition to some other stuff, and it was all edible!

And while I now know what the cranberry sauce is for, it will not become a staple of our meals anytime soon.

The exercise was enlightening, fun, and created great memories for our family.

It also provided an opportunity for our family 麻豆精品 S� like everyone in the nation 麻豆精品 S� to take part in this early American tradition that we have made our own.

Maritza Martinez 麻豆精品 S�00 麻豆精品 S�05MA 麻豆精品 S�11MBA is director of the University of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 Community Relations department. 聽She can be reached at Maritza.Martinez@ucf.edu.

This is a reposting from the UCF Forum, a series of opinion columns from faculty, staff and students who serve on a panel for a year. A new column is posted each Wednesday on UCF Today and then broadcast on WUCF-FM (89.9) between 7:50 and 8 a.m. Sunday. Opinions expressed are those of the columnists, and are not necessarily shared by the University of Central Florida.

Up to 25 bags will be placed outside KHK Pantry in Ferrell Commons for students to pick up while campus is closed Nov. 24-28. The bags are filled with food donated to the pantry. In year 麻豆精品 S檚 past, they 麻豆精品 S檝e included tuna, boxed mashed potatoes, crackers, canned vegetables, canned fruit, soup, oatmeal and bottled water, said pantry manager Alexander Botchen. UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Transfer & Transition office has been collecting food since early October for this holiday service.

KHK Pantry was founded in 2009 by UCF students who sought to help fellow Knights facing financial difficulties, and to make sure students never needed to choose between buying textbooks or food. In the 2015-16 academic year, KHK Pantry served more than 13,300 students, Botchen said.

Many express their gratitude for time shared and getting through another year. The University of Central Florida 麻豆精品 S檚 students, faculty and staff were asked to share what they are most thankful for this year.

There were some common threads 麻豆精品 S� family, health, safety, freedom and opportunity.

Tyler Brooks, 19, a digital media game-design major, expressed his thanks for his family support throughout his college career.

麻豆精品 S淭丑别y are always willing to back up any of the choices that I make. They have supported me with everything, from this test I 麻豆精品 S檓 about to take to financial support, to just being there as family, 麻豆精品 S� he said.

Others were thankful that their families were healthy.

麻豆精品 S淲e have been through a lot this year, with something happening every other month, 麻豆精品 S� said Karena Edun, a biotechnology and chemistry major. 麻豆精品 S淥ne month my brother fell down the stairs and a few months later my father had a heart attack. He thankfully is alive and now much healthier. My sister, a few months after that, was hit by a van and she luckily was not hurt severely and had no broken bones. We have gone through a lot but we have also grown a lot together. 麻豆精品 S�

In the wake of so many recent tragic events globally, David Phan, a biomedical sciences major, said he was most thankful for his family and his family 麻豆精品 S檚 safety. Rebekah Addy, who works for the College of Graduate Studies, added to her list the freedom to worship freely.

Katie Tighe, a program assistant at Rosen College and a student seeking an elementary education master 麻豆精品 S檚 degree, said freedom is a big one for her.

麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 thankful to live in the USA where I am free to make my own choices, 麻豆精品 S� she said. 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 also thankful to both work for and study at UCF, which promotes and supports my academic and professional growth. 麻豆精品 S�

Many gave thanks for opportunity, such as Tawana Anderson, who works as a custodian on campus.

麻豆精品 S淚 am thankful for a job and to just be alive, 麻豆精品 S� she said.

Whatever you are thankful for this holiday season, the University of Central Florida wishes you a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

To see what faculty, staff and students had to say, visit UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 official .

If you will be away from UCF during the holidays, make sure to take expensive items such as jewelry, laptops and other valuables with you. Have a friend or trusted neighbor collect any mail, packages or newspapers, or ask the U.S. Postal Service to hold your mail until you return.

The holidays are a busy travel time, and it’s important to be safe on the road. UCFPD is joining agencies across the country in a Click It or Ticket seat belt enforcement wave that will go through Nov. 30, and officers will issue citations to drivers and passengers who are not wearing a seat belt.

Holiday festivities also can lead to risks on the road. If your plans involve alcohol, elect a sober driver before you go out, or plan on taking a taxi. Never drink and drive or get in a car with a driver who is impaired.

UCF Police will continue to patrol campus during the holiday season, and law enforcement will pay special attention to residential areas and shopping centers.

Ultimately, safety is a team effort, and crime awareness and the reporting of suspicious activity lessen the chances of crime occurring. If you see something, say something, and report sketchy behavior to 911.

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving and successful finish to the fall semester.

For more information about hospitality management education at Rosen College, please visit .

Of course the holiday is rife with baggage (literal and figurative), and many people will boycott it entirely or will visibly or invisibly limit their participation, whether because of the problematic history of the events it represents, because of their own personal associations with the holiday, or because of work schedules, travel limitations, or distance from friends and family. Whatever we 麻豆精品 S檙e doing, most of us will have thanks on the brain for at least a few minutes this week, and that 麻豆精品 S檚 a good thing. But gratitude can be a sticky wicket.

In the long-running TV cop series “The Closer,” Kyra Sedgwick 麻豆精品 S檚 title character, Brenda Leigh Johnson, was constantly saying 麻豆精品 S渢hank you 麻豆精品 S� in a deep Southern drawl to everyone around her, including employees, strangers, and even the criminals she was famous for driving to confess. Though many scenarios called her sincerity into question, and often her gratitude was met with a significant eye roll from those around her, I loved this aspect of her character because it vividly showed the power of saying thanks.

Brenda packed apology, intimidation, and a firm change of topic into every drawn-out 麻豆精品 S渢hank yoooou, 麻豆精品 S� leaving those around her speechless, for there is no established negative retort to an expression of appreciation, sincere or not.

Complicated thank-yous are everywhere. In the past couple of decades, a secular cult of gratitude has emerged around us. During her high-profile years, Oprah Winfrey wove together tenets of pop psychology and world religions to present gratitude as a path to a centered and positive life, encouraging viewers and readers to focus on blessings over challenges.

A contemporary offshoot is the frequent social media trend in which friends ask each other to post things for which they are grateful. Taggees then share appreciation for beautiful sunsets, great families, good health, and steady jobs, occasionally teetering on the brink of publically sanctioned bragging.

But despite the cynicism that may come through in these observations, I believe that gratitude is incredibly powerful and important for a variety of reasons.

Gratitude helps us keep things in perspective. Even the most seasoned pessimist can think of ways in which most situations could be worse. Feeling and expressing gratitude for the positive things around us can shift our focus from what 麻豆精品 S檚 working against us to what 麻豆精品 S檚 working for us, and, in my opinion, a positive attitude can materially impact the outcome of many situations.

Sincerely accepting gratitude connects us with other people. Many of us are better at thanking others and even doing things for others than we are at receiving thanks. I 麻豆精品 S檓 thinking not of the ritualistic thanks we receive in daily life but of those moments when we have had a real impact. Engaging with another person and openly accepting their acknowledgment that something we have done for them has shaped their life in a positive way can be a humbling experience. It sometimes requires us to accept praise for something that we did because we knew it was the right thing to do. It sometimes causes us to reflect on what more we could have done. But it almost always requires us to see ourselves and our actions, momentarily, through the eyes of another, which can be an intimidating but gratifying act.

Expressing gratitude also helps us to feel it.

In preparation for writing this column, I crowdsourced what I called 麻豆精品 S渃ompulsory gratitude 麻豆精品 S� with my social media friends. I asked the value of, for example, requiring children to write thank-you notes for gifts. While a couple of friends expressed concern about the idea of forcing children to lie about their feelings, most suggested that gratitude is a process that requires practice. One friend suggested that expressing thanks is a critical element of being part of a community and compared requiring students to learn the practice to what she called 麻豆精品 S渃ompulsory clothing in public. 麻豆精品 S�

A cousin who works in social services pointed out that there are developmental reasons to require children to engage in rituals of gratitude. Faculty colleagues noted the positive experiences they 麻豆精品 S檝e had with asking students to聽write thank-you notes to guest speakers, suggesting that people enjoy the opportunity to express appreciation even in those contexts when they might not have thought of it on their own, and that everyone appreciates receiving a handwritten thank-you.

Friends cited theorists and religious figures to suggest the same basic concept: The experience of gratitude is learned through practice and socialization.

And it 麻豆精品 S檚 good for you 麻豆精品 S攍ike your green bean casserole.

Melody Bowdon is executive director of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Karen L. Smith Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning and is a professor of writing and rhetoric.听She can be reached at melody@ucf.edu.听

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us soon will be reunited with our beloved families and friends for a delicious feast filled with turkey, pie, and whatever else your heart desires. Even if you don 麻豆精品 S檛 celebrate Thanksgiving this way, you may still get to enjoy time off from school or work to focus on yourself and your loved ones.

And so, with the end of fall, comes winter. Aside from the fact that Florida weather rarely drops below 40 degrees, the arrival of winter brings finals week and the hectic holiday season.

For students, I like to refer to this period as the calm before the storm. As much as I love to daydream about roasted turkey, I have to be realistic. Like all semesters, this one has been long and hard, but before we can celebrate our accomplishments, we must conquer one final hurdle: the final exam.

Whether you have dreaded that exam since the first day of class or you have been enthusiastically gathering sources for your paper all semester, you must now face this final challenge of the year. Just like all things in life for everyone 麻豆精品 S� not just students — if you have a final paper or project, you should not procrastinate until the last minute to get started! Revisions are the key to perfection and are necessary for a commendable submission.

Time management is also an important skill to practice if you want to move on to a professional career. I admit that I have been guilty of procrastinating on occasion depending on the project, but when I have something I am passionate about, I am cognizant of the time.

And if you are struggling in a class, simply ask for help. Consult with your professor or teaching assistant on how you can improve before the final assessment. Never assume about your status in a class or at your job. I once had a friend who thought he had an 麻豆精品 S楢 麻豆精品 S� until he found out at the end of the semester that the professor had subtracted points every time my friend took his phone out to check the time.

Some of you may have semesters left to finish while others may be graduating in December. If you are walking for commencement, arrive early and dress appropriately. After all, you are representing the university, and your family may have traveled from far away to support you on your big day. I suggest that you do not come late with mismatched shoes and a hangover.

Winter can also be a stressful time for everyone because of the holidays. Whether you are cooking for a large family or preparing for an office party, you may have a daunting task ahead. Make sure you do all your shopping early for the event or holiday. My mom always scowls me for procrastinating before a holiday party to buy a gift or food.

I constantly struggle with finding the perfect gifts for my parents because they do not view material belongings in the same way. They grew up in small, rural villages along the coast of Vietnam and often did not have money for presents. As a result, they prefer handmade gifts, which they believe have more sentimental value.

However, after about 20 years of working on do-it-yourself projects, I believe that my creative juices have run dry. If you are experiencing the same problem, I suggest creating a Pinterest account to explore new ideas.

If you are a parent, remember that spending time with your child will always be more valuable than an iPad or a new toy. My brother and I would always look forward to the holidays when we were growing up because my parents would have the entire day off to play with us. Sure we would have liked a new Barbie or action figure, but nothing can ever replace family.

So as winter dawns upon us, use your time wisely. Do not be lured into a false sense of security.

You might not be defending against video zombies or massive armies of trained killers led by the 麻豆精品 S渕other of dragons, 麻豆精品 S� but you do have your own battles to face. Remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we will be able to relax during the winter break.

Vu Tran is an anthropology graduate student in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 College of Sciences and a recipient of the UCF Order of Pegasus for academic achievement. She can be reached at vuqntran@knights.ucf.edu.

For me, the beginning of 麻豆精品 S渢he season 麻豆精品 S� is evidenced by the conversion of one of my pre-set radio stations to play Christmas and holiday tunes on a loop. The evidence on my Facebook newsfeed is also a giveaway, noticing that since Nov. 1 everyone is declaring what he or she is thankful for every day.

Ironic to me, though, are the comments of users who start being thankful on Nov.1 and then post an update on Nov. 5 with 麻豆精品 S淚 forgot to be thankful the past four days so here are five things I 麻豆精品 S檓 thankful for all at once. 麻豆精品 S�

At first I thought, 麻豆精品 S淎w, that is so sweet, 麻豆精品 S� but that quickly changed to 麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 sorry, but really? 麻豆精品 S� Come on now, it 麻豆精品 S檚 the season! While I love to read what others are thankful for and personally keep up with their thanks on social media, I just wish it weren 麻豆精品 S檛 a huge declaration or movement when they decide to pause to be thankful for what I hope they are also doing every other month of the year.

When people 麻豆精品 S渇orget 麻豆精品 S� to be thankful, not just in November, it 麻豆精品 S檚 kind of sad.

So, what does 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S橳is the Season 麻豆精品 S� mean, anyway? Does it mean a special red cup at Starbucks, or a Thanksgiving sub from Publix, declaring your thanks via social media, or a random act of kindness by paying for the person behind you in line? It seems that 麻豆精品 S檚 what it has become, but I think it 麻豆精品 S檚 more than that.

Now, I certainly appreciate and value the sentiment behind the holidays. People bustle with excitement, generosity, and the hope of a fresh start come the New Year. Sometimes, though, I just wonder why everyone seems to become friendlier as the holidays approach. I say 麻豆精品 S渢he holidays 麻豆精品 S� because it means something different to everyone.

Yet, in a country where we are afforded many freedoms but still struggle with social discord among an array of controversial issues, in these last two months of the year the holidays symbolizing something different to everyone seem to often be forgotten. We tend to be blind to those who are different than us, and instead of alienating them, we offer our generosity and warm personalities.

It creates a sense of peace 麻豆精品 St creates a certain social climate. A season, I might say.

Many celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and other holidays 麻豆精品 S� some in a religious sense, while others do not. Ten months out of the year, these differences in what the holidays mean would drive us crazy and create an immense amount of friction among our subcultures. Ten months out of the year, we find it extremely hard to accept why someone might celebrate differently from us, and even wonder if their moral compass is pointed in the right direction, without ever questioning our own.

If we are able to look past differences during 麻豆精品 S渢he season, 麻豆精品 S� to come together and be our most accepting and giving selves to spread a shared sense of peace and excitement among all, why does that have to change with the start of a new year?

My message today is concise. On Jan. 1, we will be focused on our resolutions, hoping to become improved versions of ourselves during the next 12 months. Sadly, as the hope of 麻豆精品 S渢he season 麻豆精品 S� fades, many of these resolutions will fail. The year will get in the way. It will become busy and messy, just as it was before the pumpkin spice lattes and Black Friday deals. We will begin to make excuses.

But folks, I 麻豆精品 S檝e seen what we can do when we come together and forget differences. We are actually nice to each other. We listen.

In the two months of the year that I feel the change in spirits, I actually like talking to strangers. They are different from the strangers that I meet January through October.

So, I have just one request. After celebrating 麻豆精品 S渢he season 麻豆精品 S� in whatever capacity you choose, when your heart and spirit are most full, resolve not merely to work out more, to spend less money, or in my case, rescue fewer cats (because we all know that will fail).

Instead, pick something that could last: Resolve to simply be a better stranger.

Erin O 麻豆精品 S橣laherty is a senior pursuing a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in accounting and the current Miss University of Central Florida. She can be reached at eoflaherty@knights.ucf.edu.