{"id":253223,"date":"2026-08-11T02:09:07","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T00:09:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.madescholarships.com\/?post_type=kennisbank&p=253223"},"modified":"2026-08-11T20:10:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T18:10:41","slug":"american-holidays-and-breaks","status":"publish","type":"kennisbank","link":"https:\/\/www.madescholarships.com\/en\/resources\/american-holidays-and-breaks\/","title":{"rendered":"US holidays and traditions: experiencing authentic campus life as a student-athlete"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":253218,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_title":"US holidays & campus traditions for athletes | Made Scholarships","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Experience Thanksgiving, Homecoming, and Spring Break as an international student-athlete. Learn about US campus culture and hospitality.","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"kennisbank-thema":[615],"kennisbank-type":[618],"class_list":["post-253223","kennisbank","type-kennisbank","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","kennisbank-thema-living-in-usa","kennisbank-type-artikel"],"acf":{"samenvatting":"When preparing to study and compete in the United States, your initial focus naturally centers on practices, competition schedules, and academic classes. However, many of our former student-athletes reflect that their fondest memories were created outside the athletic facilities.\r\nAttending a Thanksgiving dinner with a teammate's family, gathering with your team to watch the Super Bowl, or going on a Spring Break roadtrip are cultural experiences you rarely encounter in Europe.\r\nHaving guided student-athletes to US universities since 2009, we hear the same reflection year after year: your athletic team quickly becomes a second family, and holiday traditions highlight just how close those bonds become.","leestijd":5,"body":"

Thanksgiving: an iconic American tradition<\/h2>\r\nFor many Americans, Thanksgiving is the most cherished holiday of the year. Celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, individuals travel across the country to reunite with family, share a meal, and express gratitude.\r\n\r\nInternational recruits often wonder whether they will spend this extended weekend alone on a quiet campus. In practice, teammates almost always invite international players to join their family celebrations. American families genuinely enjoy introducing international athletes to their holiday traditions. For many of our recruits, this weekend marks the moment the US begins to feel like a true second home.\r\n\r\nYou share a traditional Thanksgiving feast featuring roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Afterward, families gather to watch NFL football games, followed by Black Friday shopping trips the next morning. It is a defining cultural experience that stays with athletes for a lifetime.\r\n

Your team quickly becomes your second family<\/h2>\r\nAthletic teams in the United States form far tighter bonds than most European athletes are accustomed to. You practice together daily, travel to away games, share meals in dining halls, and spend time together outside of athletics.\r\n\r\nDuring the competitive season, parents of domestic teammates frequently travel to support the team at away contests. It is common for parents to invite international athletes out for post-game dinners or host them for weekend visits. This genuine hospitality significantly eases the transition to living abroad for international recruits.\r\n

Spring Break: what to expect as a student-athlete<\/h2>\r\nWhen people think of Spring Break<\/em>, they often visualize students vacationing on coastal beaches. For student-athletes, this week takes on different forms depending on your competitive season.\r\n\r\nIf you compete in a spring sport (such as baseball, softball, tennis, golf, or track and field), Spring Break is spent traveling with your team for non-conference matches or tournaments (Spring Break Trips<\/em>). With classes paused, it offers an ideal week for athletic competition in warm-weather states.\r\n\r\nFor fall-sport athletes (such as soccer, volleyball, or field hockey), Spring Break in March brings open schedule time. Many athletes plan road trips with teammates, visit major cities like New York or Miami, or spend a few relaxing days at the beach.\r\n

Halloween and Homecoming: iconic campus traditions<\/h2>\r\nUS university campuses feature unique annual traditions throughout the academic year:\r\n

Halloween<\/h3>\r\nIn late October, campus life centers around Halloween. Students decorate dormitories, participate in campus events, and athletic teams often host costume gatherings or team events.\r\n

Homecoming<\/h3>\r\nHomecoming is an annual fall tradition where alumni return to campus. Campus grounds are decorated in school colors, spirit rallies take place, and the weekend football game serves as the centerpiece of the semester. Even if you are unfamiliar with American football, Homecoming offers an electric campus atmosphere you won't want to miss.\r\n

Winter Break: returning home or exploring the US<\/h2>\r\nIn mid-December, the Fall semester<\/em> concludes and Winter Break<\/em> begins.\r\n\r\nMany international student-athletes fly home to Europe for several weeks to reunite with family and friends, recharge, and celebrate the holidays.\r\n\r\nOthers choose to remain in the US. Some organize travel across major US regions with international peers, while others spend Christmas with a teammate's host family.\r\n

Summer break: returning home or staying in the US?<\/h2>\r\nFollowing the conclusion of the Spring semester in mid-May, the long summer break begins. Depending on your university, this break lasts approximately three months.\r\n\r\nThe majority of international student-athletes fly home in May or June to spend quality time with family and friends. After an intensive year of academics and high-level athletics, returning home offers the ideal opportunity to recharge physically and mentally.\r\n\r\nHowever, some recruits choose to remain in the United States for part or all of the summer. Common reasons for remaining on campus include:\r\n