Whether it’s Rosh Hashanah, the Chinese New Year, Diwali, Easter, or even your birthday, at some point during freshman year you will find yourself celebrating your very first holiday away from home. It’s different, even fun — there’s nobody to make sure you go to class on your birthday and no parent to scold you when you try to sneak out of the temple or church early.
But at some point, that latent little kid will miss your mom’s annual brownies, the thrill of opening presents, the familiarity of celebrating people who you know and who know you too, and the comfort of holidays at home. To cope with these struggles, I’d suggest bringing your traditions and the thing you miss most here to Cornell; you might even find that it’s already here waiting for you! For me, it was the Rosh Hashanah dinner held at Trillium that opened my eyes to what I now think of as my second home. During Welcome Week, I’m sure you saw the colorful mirage of chalk that filled the sidewalks and noticed the endless flyers being handed to you as you walked to class. Until this dinner, I brushed off these opportunities, for the most part, reasoning that I already had friends, families, and interests waiting for me at home or that I was too busy for these clubs. Thankfully all of these little Cornell families were still waiting for me when I was ready. Because at some point, the sickness, whether it be mono or homesickness, creeps in, and we yearn for the comfort of a religious community or the familiar sound of an acapella group. Whether it’s a dinner at Trillium or bringing your friends to services, Cornell can be dressed for any holiday.
I’ve found that it is during holidays when I have made my closest friends, friends who share my values, aspects of my background, and my love for brownies. There’s something gratifying and so simply human about wanting to share our experiences with others. Where we come from and how we celebrate is who we are, so naturally, we long to share this with others. It is at these times of the year, the holidays, even the most inconsequential of such, where we are given the opportunity to share our background, treasured stories, and secret recipes. And though it may be impossible to bring all of our friends home, we certainly can all bring pieces of home to us. So, next time you have something to celebrate, bundle up and stay put — celebrate Cornell style and make this campus home!
