November has me feeling homesick. I know, that’s weird coming from a girl who does not like her hometown.  

The truth is, I miss my family and the friends I do talk to when I am home.  

Maybe it is because Thanksgiving and shotgun season are right around the corner. 

 Shotgun season is considered a holiday where I am from.  

It starts off with the Deer Festival, Deer Pageants, Deer Day and the parade.  

Essentially, Deer Day is a day where the schools are closed so students can go hunting.  

That’s probably the most country thing you have ever heard, but it is true.  

I was never really interested in participating in some of the activities because I would rather be in the woods.  

Anyway, I have never gotten homesick before, so it is weird.  

Maybe it is because Thanksgiving is late this year, which is another odd thing.  

My Thanksgiving week is so hectic because the weekend before Thanksgiving is first shotgun season, then Thanksgiving, and the weekend after is second shotgun season.  

Most of my family comes in for the first season and stays until after Thanksgiving.  

So, my family Thanksgivings are a little different than most.  

We eat small family dinners throughout the week and feast on Thanksgiving.  

It feels like a constant thing throughout the week.  

Sometimes if my cousins and I are bored we go to town and get something to eat at the festival.  

I understand people have their own holiday traditions, mainly during Christmas, but this is probably my favorite tradition.  

Shotgun season and Thanksgiving are hectic. Also, it does not help that as us children got older and went off to college, it became harder to get the family in one room, but somehow we make it work.  

For as long as I can remember, my family has been doing Thanksgiving this way for so long it just became natural.  

It’s even better when one of us does get a deer because then we know it was a successful hunt for one of us.  

My family is a little different, but that’s what makes us family.  

I love my family traditions, especially in the month of November. I mean, our Christmas traditions are great too, but not as good as November’s.  

I cannot wait for shotgun season; I cannot wait for Thanksgiving, but most especially, I cannot wait to see my family.  

Katelyn Eddington is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at kdeddington@eiu.edu.