Urban Dictionary defines turkey dump as “when a student returning from college breaks up with their significant other from high school. So-called because it traditionally takes place over thanksgiving break, the first time most students return from college”. Not a very fun activity to engage in over your first trip back home. But it happens to a lot of first year students! It happens so often in fact, there is even a website dedicated to posting stories of turkey dumps, available e-cards to send to people, and a great funny support system! You can check it out at turkeydump.com.
So why are people breaking up at this time? Well, for most of you, you’ve travelled to university from another place, whether it was from another town, city, province, or even country. If you had a high school sweetheart from back home, you both agreed to stay in the relationship while you are apart, geographically, and think it will be just as easy! Well, you’ve realized that it’s not as easy as you think. In high school, you saw each other every day, and may even had the exact same class schedule. You studied together, were together on the weekends, went to parties together, were friends with their friends, and the list goes on. You get to university and the closest interactions are Facetime. But i
f both you and your S/O are in university, that’s where it gets even harder! You’re both trying to meet new people, make new friends, figure out how to get through classes while going out multiple times per week, finding your way around a new campus and town, and just simply adjusting to this whole new experience. When a special person has you tied to another location, sometimes it makes all those experiences harder to do. Also, when you are used to seeing your S/O every day and then not seeing them for weeks and weeks, it can be hard and not everyone can make it through. But that’s ok and totally normal.
I know it seems a bit depressing, but the turkey dump happens to many relationships and that’s just a fact.
There will be survivors and come back to campus with huge smiles on their faces from a wonderful reunion with their family and S/O and that’s good too! I’m not trying to scare anyone and make them think that they’ll break up later on, I know many couples who survived all four years doing a long distance relationship! It’s a lot of hard work but it can be done.
So I know it seems like I’m a total expert of this whole turkey dump, well, I can’t say I’ve experienced it first-hand but there are many stories out there to draw from. Last week the Toronto Star even posted an online article on the Turkey Dump! Check it out here: https://www.thestar.com/life/2016/10/04/turkey-drop-a-holiday-breakup-tradition.html.
As this article stresses, it is really important to take care of yourself if you experience a Turkey Dump or know someone who has. It’s important to get out, keep going to classes, get enough sleep, exercise, blah blah blah, all those things you hear EVERYONE telling you (mom, dad, doctor, counsellor, presenters, etc.) but it really does help! And if you see someone else going through a turkey dump, help them out too by doing all those things together!
So whether you are single, newly single, confused, or still in a relationship, GOOD FOR YOU! Now go eat some leftover pumpkin pie and turkey!
YOUniversity 