Leaving friends behind is always one of the worst parts of going away for university. No amount of facetiming, texting, or snail mail can make up for the thousands of miles in between you and your best friends.
So when Thanksgiving rolled around this year, my friends and I (lovingly) ditched our families and met in Montreal for a much-needed reunion. This is our advice on how you and your friends can have an amazing #Friendsgiving too.
1. Ditch the Hotel
Whether you stay with friends who live in Montreal or check into a hostel, hotels are not your friend on a trip like this. Places like hostels not only free up money to spend on #Friendsgiving's true delicacy—aka alcohol—but they also surround you with tons of young people who are looking to have fun and explore the city just like you.
2. Say Yes to New Experiences
You're a visitor in one of the most vibrant cities in the world—make the most of it! Whether that means making new friends or doing a pub crawl on St. Laurent, taking that leap of faith is guaranteed to make your trip better. The best stories come from the most unexpected places.
3. Fight Your Hangover With Montreal's Famous Bagels
Drag yourselves out of bed and dish on all of last night's crazy stories while you head over to the Mile End neighbourhood. With a choice between St. Viateur or Fairmont Bagels, you can't go wrong either way.
#SpoonTip: If you don't want to sit down to eat, check out Mile End's trendy shopping scene while you munch.
4. Cherish Every Moment
This sounds cheesy, but your memories of #Friendsgiving will be what get you through the cold winter months until your next visit. Take a ridiculous amount of pictures together (and of all the delicious food you eat) and take time in every activity to cherish being with your friends. It will go by so much more quickly than you want it to.