For one PNW student, Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for the chance to take a break from his everyday life.

Alex Vrbanoff, a junior studying English Education does not get much free time. Between his two jobs and full-time college schedule, he is constantly on the move.

“I always look forward to academic breaks, especially Thanksgiving break,” he said. “I don’t get much time to just sit and breathe, so I certainly put every minute to good use.”

Vrbanoff has maintained a 4.0 GPA at PNW and still manages to juggle both jobs. 

“I work over 40 hours a week, always fluctuating but never falling below that 40 threshhold,” he said. “Adding full-time college courses into the equation almost eliminates any recharge time I could get.”

While Thanksgiving is a time to come together with loved ones, Vrbanoff is pleased to take some alone time for himself, as well.

“I love being with my family around the holidays,” he said. “But they also understand that I need some time to recharge myself for when the break is over.”

When he is taking his free time, Vrbanoff indulges in streaming services and gaming. He said that he also enjoys a quiet ambiance. 

“I like to attribute enough time to both a quiet atmosphere and a distracting one,” he said. “It feels like I’m catering to the multiple parts of myself that want to be productive, but also crave leisure.”

Even though he is a very busy person, Vrbanoff makes sure to find time to spend with his girlfriend when he can. 

“My girlfriend, Claire, goes to Ball State, so I really only see her in person around the holidays,” he said.  “Any free time of mine gladly goes towards her.”

And Vrbanoff admits that, as much as he craves down time, he cannot wait to see Claire over Thanksgiving break.

“I would sacrifice all alone time of mine to be with her in person,” he said. “Thanksgiving is a wonderful excuse for both of us to be near one another and grateful for our time spent together.”