As we put Thanksgiving twenty-seventeen in our rear view, it is important to reflect upon our traditions and the influential factors that make us who we are we are today. Personally, with my extended family scattered across the country, I have capacious gratitude for the group of loving family friends I spend the holidays with, and those in my life who both put an immense smile on my face and make it worth waking up in the morning. Each and every year, as we gather around the beautifully decorated table, I often find myself wiping away tears full of extensive gratefulness. Additionally, I find it beneficial to gather and evaluate the many underlying causes for the joy-filled life I live. First and foremost, I am thankful for my loving family who pushes me every day to be the best version of myself, puts a roof over my head, and provides the nutritious meals I consume. Also, while I dread waking up early every morning and studying for biology for hours on end, my appreciativeness for my Notre Dame Academy education goes far beyond words. From being provided with exceptional teaching every day, and through the mentorship I have received, I know I am set for life through the NDA community. Aside from the academic integrity I have gained in my time in high school, I genuinely can say I have been molded into a more giving person, which is what the holiday is all about. Through my experience with Carolina Hill and Father Bill’s, I am able to comprehend the joy that is received through helping the less fortunate. Thanksgiving is a time where I often am reminded of how special our sisterhood truly is, and how the relationships, self-confidence, and maturity I gain here will create a path for years to come. It is additionally a time for millennials in this day and age to remember how, as cliche as it sounds, materialistic items such as iPhones and Netflix will not make you happy, but rather the people who make amazing impacts on you. In conclusion of this Thanksgiving season, I have truly come to terms with myself and have realized what truly provides me with happiness and potential success, and I am considerably thankful for that.