Journalism Help! (off topic?) =p

[Nicolette]

Id post on off topic but it wouldnt be read.
I'm doing like.. 4 papers. One of them is a 3 source journalism article on christmas/yule/hanukkah, whatever. So if anyone out there would like to help me out (and is a student) send me a PM or reply here with your answers. Need names as well, doesnt necessarily have to be yours if youre squeemish about being famous for being in a paper 1 person besides me will read.


Anyway. on to the questions: Theyre easy.

As a student, do you find the holidays difficult or easy? Do you buy presents or not? A friend of mine gives pirated CD's out for the holidays as gifts because as a full-time student he has no opportunity to hold down a job. Do you ever find creative ways to celebrate like that without money? Do you go home for break or take it as a holiday with your friends?


I might not even use responses, just assuaging my guilt of procrastinating before I head to campus to interview people there as well. I'll tell anyone I happen to use though, and think this thread might be fun either way.


Happy Holidays

 

[Sneakypants]

People treat the holidays as they will.
I have the biggest problem with people that expect things around the holiday just because it's the holiday. Expecting is never good.

My family lives in a different state, and I'm married so I end up "celebrating" once every other year. The off years, I'm just with my wife, and we just get each other something small or nice, nothing extravagant. We make the most of it. I'd like to see my folks, because I rarely see them...But you make of it what you can. You choose to spend the holidays in a good festive spirit.

Better that than to have expected too much of the season, or a person, and then to find yourself upset when you should be celebrating the holidays.

I'm an asshole plenty of times throughout the year, but bring out the holiday cheer and I turn back into a little kid that just wants to have a good time with friends and family, no matter what the current situation.

Gifts are nice, but not important.

 

[Nicolette]

i'm a student so I have to budget, I have a $5 spending item cap per person since any more than that and I dont eat.

 

[ShomeGhuye]

Good God 4 papers = {Death}

Q. Holidays Difficult or Easy?
A. I cant say I found it difficult. It was a little annoying spending all the money every year, but of course, you get things back as well.

Q. Do you buy presents or not?
A. As stated above I do. However, the ones that I buy aren't awesome/pricey/trendy/giagantic (you get the point) $100 thing-a-magigs.

Q. Do you ever find creative ways to celebrate like that without money?
A. Not since I was a kid. Most people provide me with ideas for what they woudl like as a gift. Though sometimes I get no ideas and I need to make a best guess.

Q. Do you go home for break or take it as a holiday with your friends?
A. I go home. There are a bunch of things I like about going home such as the cookies, seeing all of my family within three days (we go up to rhode island for my others side), the christmas tree (I love the smell), the nut cracker suite (that great sound track), etc.

Since I'm sure this isn't even enough to fill 1/8th of a page, you may want more details. If that's the case just say so and I'll either send them in a PM or post them here. Good luck on staying sane.

 

[Sculli]

Id post on off topic but it wouldnt be read.

Such is life.
I'd prefer if people would post to the appropriate forums, especially when they are aware that it doesn't belong in the one they actually posted it in.

 

[Nicolette]

had trouble deciding between off topic and reality anyway. so put it under general =p

 

[Falsey]

Easy Nicole. Become a Jew like me. No more real holidays. :-D

 

[Nicolette]

Dont jews get like 2x the holidays of any other religion? I know when i had thanksgiving with some jewish friends this year that they counted that.. though we made sure that the cheese and meat werent from the same source. =p

 

[Falsey]

Dont jews get like 2x the holidays of any other religion? I know when i had thanksgiving with some jewish friends this year that they counted that.. though we made sure that the cheese and meat werent from the same source. =p

I said real holiday! Thnxgvng is celebrated by everyone. Xmas is mainly christian sects I belive!

 

[Moebious]

Holidays are most of the time easy because you get to have a chance to sit around with family and sometimes friends and talk and have fun. But when you have to live on a budget every time it gets difficult as to what you can/want to get people.
I try not to buy anybody presents for friends because that means that you would have to give everyone presents. This could be an issue with money and with the trust and respect of your friends and family. I am going to a christmas party in late december and they have the good idea of putting everyone's name who is positivly going to come to the party in a hat, the person picks a name from the hat, and thats the person who they buy a gift for. It does save money and allows you to have that same trust and respect you have for other people
Personally, i believe that if a person has time to buy cds, download music, and actually put them on a disc.. then they have time to work and buy something that has value to it and for other people to know that you actually worked to get them something and not be so lazy as to just download something and give it to them. if they actually don't have time to work, a card would be more appropriate for the holidays.
every holiday, we spend time with the family, and we even bring along friends who dont have anything planned so we get the best of both worlds ^^

 

[Ranpha]

As a student, do you find the holidays difficult or easy?

I would not say difficult or easy. More or less, I enjoy certain aspects of them. The time off from school to see family and friends is great. Working during the holiday season is a different experience but so far, I cannot tell that it brings out the worst in people. Hurricanes already did that. People are going to get mad if you are slower than expected while the little old ladies love talking and the time spent focusing on them. The only student problem I have had in the past is getting a decent round trip plane ticket around the season. Many other people travel during this time so delays are common and so is the overcrowding.

Do you buy presents or not?

Yes, I buy presents. They do not have to be the expensive kind either. Although, if I find something that is perfect for a particular person, I might bite the bullet and buy it. Other times, it is key to pay attention to everyone that might be on the shopping list. If I overhear someone complaining about problem, I try to see if there is something on the market that might help. And then for the clueless, there are always oversized character slippers.

Do you ever find creative ways to celebrate like that without money?

Of course. There are always traditional activities such as baking sugar cookies with the family or having a nice chat over a cup of hot coca. My friends and I have made it a tradition to go around neighborhoods to see the lights and other random things.

Do you go home for break or take it as a holiday with your friends?

I go home for break because one of my parents would probably disown me if I did not. Meh, I actually enjoy my family. I have a few friends in my hometown that I visit as well.