MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2020 www.alligator.org/the_avenue
CULTURE
Family feud: navigating Thanksgiving amid political tension STUDENTS LOOK TO AVOID HOLIDAY ARGUMENTS AFTER PERIODS OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL UNREST
By Heather Bushman Avenue Staff Writer
Thanksgiving: a time for turkey, togetherness and, for some, turmoil. In the wake of one of the most divisive periods in recent history, college students are bracing themselves for what may be a tense family reunion for Thanksgiving. The ongoing fight for racial justice, the economic and public safety crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and a controversial election season have all driven a wedge between the American public.
Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff
Some students know family holiday dinners mean heated argument. Some respond with avoidance, others anticipate rising tensions.
Policy issues have turned personal, and for that reason, civil discussions across the dinner table have the potential to heat up very quickly. Gabriel Castro, a 20-year-old UF political science and international studies sophomore, said he anticipates politics as a topic of conversation when visiting his extended family in Miami, especially given an election President-elect Joe Biden declared as a “battle for the soul of the nation” at a campaign speech in Georgia. “I am excited to see everyone, but I know politics will be brought up,” he said. It’s a conversation that — in light of his politics differing from those of his family — Castro isn’t excited to have. But he’s not alone: More Americans have said it’s “stressful and frustrating” to talk about politics since the 2016 election, according to a study from Pew Research Center. The apprehension can be particularly pronounced for college students. The college experience brings people of all backgrounds and perspectives together, and research shows this can facilitate an exchange of ideas not found in the homogeneity of a high school or a hometown. “I feel like meeting a lot of different people during college has really made me more open-minded to a variety of different perspectives,” Castro said. For some students, these broadened horizons can result in the emergence of a different political outlook than those they were raised with. Alexandra Cote, a 21-year-old UF biomedical engineering senior, is also used to the conflict. She cited differences in location and educational background as the source of the stark contrast between her and her family’s political stances. “As our views diametrically oppose, we definitely argue,” she said. The ideological split many face makes going home for the holidays such a testy endeavor, but luckily, there are ways to subdue the stress these gatherings may supply.
Easing the tension often comes in the form of avoidance, a tactic the Thomas-Kilmann Model notes as one of the five most effective strategies of conflict resolution. Diverting the conversation away from the topic of controversy, or ignoring it entirely, is often used to stop an argument in its tracks. Nick Manhart, a 25-year-old UF finance sophomore, knows this method well. His rural Indiana family often discusses politics, and when the topic comes up, he said the best way to get out of the potentially uncomfortable situation is to walk away. “Luckily we have a big enough family to be able to escape it and go do something else,” Manhart said. Psychologists have said it’s acceptable, even necessary, to step away from conversations when they begin to feel damaging. While it’s tempting to tackle hot topics, especially with those who harbor separate perspectives, winning an argument often isn’t worth the anger or anxiety that comes with it. Instead, placating the conversation can be more productive. Playing peacekeeper may seem like a losing strategy, but yielding to the opposition could prove opportune in retaining relations – especially when your ideological adversary is the one passing you the potatoes from across the table. Castro said, despite his dissent, he generally finds himself keeping quiet in the face of family political discussions. He said it’s important to him to maintain civility, even at the expense of getting his point across. “The last thing I want is to have to worry about my family resenting me over policy preferences,” he said. When approached by particularly passionate relatives, Manhart employs a similar tactic. “Give them a couple minutes, say ‘Yep’ a couple times, then smile and walk away,” he said. “Usually works out pretty well.”
@hgrizzl hbushman@alligator.org
FOOD & DRINK
SPOTIFY
Vegan students plan for Turkey Day without the turkey VEGAN STUDENTS ENDURE TEASING AND HUNGER DURING NON-VEGAN FAMILY HOLIDAY MEALS
By Michelle Holder Avenue Staff Writer
After a semester of ramen noodle packages and Chipotle runs, a homecooked meal is sometimes all college students look forward to. But for vegans and vegetarians, Thanksgiving looks a little different: Turkeys are traded for tofu, mac and cheese is replaced with vegan alternatives and mashed potatoes are made with plant-based milk. Vegans and vegetarians often encounter dinner-time challenges when home for the holidays, as their families whip up the traditional Thanksgiving dishes full of butter, meat and cheese. The plant-based lifestyle may often leave vegans feeling teased, awkward and hungry. For Christina Speros, a 19-yearold UF nutritional sciences
sophomore, being vegan means dealing with teasing from her family and navigating family meals. As a nutrition major, she feels passionate about veganism, fitness and living a healthy lifestyle. She has been vegan for over a year and a half, but with an Italian mom and a Greek dad, her family’s Mediterranean background means their diets heavily consist of meat and cheese. Speros’ cousin is also vegan, so they plan their meals for Thanksgiving together, she said. This year, she is hoping to make vegan candied yams and a pumpkin cheesecake, along with other dishes. As much as she faces a hard time from her family for being vegan, Speros’ family always ends up fighting over her vegan chocolate chips cookies. “It’s always in the desserts that get them,” she said. Marlee Anctil, a 19-year-old political science sophomore, is planning for her first Thanksgiving as a vegan, which she said will
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consist of a lot of the food she eats on a regular day. “It’s going to probably be like a normal dinner and not really Thanksgiving just because it’s kind of hard.” Anctil has been vegetarian for five years but made the transition to veganism in March. When she first transitioned into becoming a vegetarian, her family, especially her grandparents, who are from Mexico, didn’t react well to the news. “They were upset,” she said. “They didn’t want to have to accommodate special meals for me.” This Thanksgiving, she said her family has accommodated some of their recipes so she can share some of the same dishes with everyone else. “I am afraid that it’s not going to be as good as Thanksgivings prior, especially because my parents make some really amazing non-vegan meals,” Anctil said. Rain Meekins, a 19-year-old UF construction management sophomore, said his transition to
becoming a vegan was gradual. He said he became a vegan due to his environmental and animal agriculture concerns. Meekins said his family is supportive of his diet but has faced criticism from his brother. “My brother always nags,” Meekins said. “They were just concerned if I am getting my nutritional needs.” For Thanksgiving, he makes a lentil-based meatloaf and sticks to eating a lot of vegetables. He also says his family substitutes nonvegan items for vegan alternatives for him. “For mashed potatoes, a lot of the time they’ll use dairy-based butter,” he said. “I’ll be like, ‘Hey, I can have some too as long as you use this vegan butter that tastes the same.’” He said sticking to small changes and making dairy-and-meat-free swaps in the kitchen can help. “You can still enjoy Thanksgiving just as much,” he said. “You can still be vegan and enjoy the same types of foods in the same way.
Whether you love to cook or just love to eat, enjoy your kitchen time with these dinner time tunes from the Avenue staff.
Thanksgiving is still Thanksgiving.” @michellecholder mholder@alligator.com
Caeleb Dressel breaks three more World Records
The former Gators swimmer broke three World Records in one weekend at the ISL semifinal meet in Budapest, Hungary, this past weekend. This came one week after he set one World Record and two American records, pg. 12
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