Thanksgiving. That glorious day where you get together with friends and family, eat whatever you want, and most importantly, enjoy an extra long weekend. This time to relax is important, especially if you work in admissions -- arguably one of the most interesting, frustrating, and unique careers out there.

This year we asked admissions teams across the country what they were thankful for and we got a lot of great responses. Read on to hear about them. Oh, and don’t forget to leave what you’re thankful for in the comments below!

tom & jerry

"The opportunity to read heartfelt, weird, and sometimes hilarious admissions essays"

Admissions can be incredibly personal —you’re asking applicants to open up about their lives and then making a decision that impacts their future. You learn a lot from all the diverse applicant stories you read, and often get entertained along the way.

tears of joy

"Working on a beautiful campus, with all the perks that come along with it"

Working on a college campus is like working on a resort. Most of them are beautiful, especially in the Fall, and you have access to restaurants, gyms, pools, and much more. How many offices give you that?
relaxing simpsons

"The relationships we build with our students and alums"

You're probably one of the most well-connected people your friends know. You have relationships with the smartest students and most successful alumni all over the world.

Cheers Leo

"Going out with admissions teams at other schools when we travel"

Traveling with admissions teams from other schools all the time means you've probably made some close friends to go out and "explore the city" with.

Party

"Staying in a location longer than a single day so we can relax and enjoy it"

You're that person that's hopped around most of Asia within seven days. When you get to stay in one place and actually see it, you're euphoric.

minions excited

 "Becoming a savvy travel expert -- by accident"

You've inadvertently become the travel expert that your friends all come to for advice. You know every airport in the world inside out, have the best tricks up your sleeve for getting luxurious hotel rooms, comfortable plane seats (sort of), and travel rewards.

michelle cool

"Post application review season. That peaceful, brief time when applications are reviewed and offers have gone out"

When application season is over you can finally relax. Just for a bit though, the new kids are coming.

cat massage

"The comradery we build with our colleagues and the fun we have together. There's nothing like grueling 20 hour work days to bring you closer"

Working in admissions is a unique job, and only your coworkers can truly understand what you deal with every day. It can be hard, but your coworkers make it worth it.

ross chandler fun

"I'm grateful to have great students. Your list of applicant horror stories was hilarious"

Applicants can be odd at times but that's what keeps the job interesting. There are some, however, that are just plain scary. "Run as fast as you can" scary.

simpsons horror

 

From all of us on the Kira team, have a happy and relaxing Thanksgiving!