1. Talking about your diet

You’re on a diet? We’re proud of you, you look fantastic. But please don’t talk about it while everyone is stuffing their faces with delicious Thanksgiving food. Comments like, “no thanks, those are empty calories,” or “are you sure you want another serving of yams?” just make people feel bad about indulging, something that many of us have been looking forward to for weeks. Thanksgiving has never been about eating healthy, let’s all just accept it.

Also included: On the contrary, bragging about how much food you have eaten is also frowned upon. You’ve had five servings of mashed potatoes? Awesome dude. Keep it to yourself.

2. Negative food commentary

This may seem elementary but any food commentary that doesn’t reflect positively on the cook is a definite no-no. Preparing Thanksgiving dinner for the family is hard enough without people reminiscing about how Grandma used to make her pies from scratch – unlike this year’s cook.Unless YOU prepared dinner, refrain from reliving the past, no matter how delicious it may have been.

Also included: Although a good, hardy burp is “compliments to the chef,” save it for another meal.

3. Gloating to a rival sports fan

Your brother-in-law’s favorite team is having a horrible season. Again. He most likely already attempted faking an illness to get out of showing his face in front of the family so don’t make it worse by gloating that your team is on its way to clinching a fifth straight division title. Few loyalties are as strong as the one between a true fan and his/her favorite team so try and avoid any scathing remarks that may cause a family member to sulk or pout. And no, inviting them to help you root for your team this post-season is not as gracious as it sounds.

Also included: Using sports lingo or catchphrases to emphasize any dinner time activity. Example: Proclaiming “boom goes the dynamite” after finishing your last bite of turkey is off limits.

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If you are planning to study abroad, your college or program will most likely require you to attend orientation sessions prior to your departure. The sessions prepare and educate you on issues you may face in your host country including but not limited to:

•What to do if you get sick
•Money problems
•Culture shock
•Drinking/sex

The information I retained at these sessions was very useful and I felt prepared when I left the country. However, there are a few simple things I wish I had been told before I went abroad, many of which I never would have thought about beforehand.

So before you step on that plane, check out this list. Believe me, it will help!

Have you heard of “DRUNKOREXIA?” In a story today, we explore whether it is a dangerous health phenomenon or simply a new term for something students have been doing for a long time.