Last week, citizens across the country celebrated Thanksgiving, a holiday that centers around showing appreciation for the people that we are surrounded by. Usually, people use this day to be with family.

For many college students, the luxury of being with family, either by blood or law, is taken away while they are on campus. Thus, students should seek to develop a family of their own while studying away from their hometown.

There are facilitators for developing this family in clubs, sports and other campus activities. For example, Guilford’s varsity teams typically undergo offseason workouts as a team, creating a tighter bond between players during the season and beyond.

There are a multitude of events hosted throughout the academic year that are open to the entire Guilford community. Taking advantage of these events could create opportunities to connect with new people.

In these winter months, it is important to reach out to fellow students and encourage them to get involved in the community. With finals approaching, temperatures dropping and stress levels rising, you will never know who needs a friend.

While at college, it is important to foster these new and rewarding interpersonal relationships. The family you find at Guilford can be just as important as the family you grow up with or born into.