As the smell of turkey and sounds of family members asking what you want to do with your life fast approaches, it seems like the right time to go over some of the Thanksgiving traditions that we all go through. I’m not talking about the usual traditions of watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or being put in charge of cooking the cranberry sauce. No, this is about the real traditions that we might not even realize we do every year. So sit down and get ready for the seven types of unspoken Thanksgiving traditions.

1. The unspoken order

Now, it goes without saying, that not every family has the same Thanksgiving traditions. However, from the food served, to the people eating it, the traditions all have to begin somewhere; and that starts with setting the table. For some families, everyone has an unspoken claim to a particular spot at the table that they sit at every year. However, as the years go by, and loved ones start bringing guests and significant others to meet the family, the order gets a little messed up. What once was a peaceful year sitting beside your cousin Suzy who keeps droning on about just how great “A Star Is Born” is, has suddenly become filled with small talk and awkward silences with Suzy’s new boyfriend Jeff. A change in faces can be great, but there is often times an awkward growth period that you have to make it through.

2. Cleaning house

While some people travel near and far to visit loved ones for Thanksgiving, others get to host the yearly event at their own home. Anyone who has done this before has probably experienced the last minute chaos of getting the house ready for guests to visit. For some, this might mean prepping couches for you to sleep on while Uncle Dan and Aunt Carol get to live the high life in your childhood bedroom. If you are really unlucky, you might even get stuck sharing a bed with your sibling and fighting for every inch of room you can get. For others, this might also mean doing a deep clean of the house to the point where you can’t even recognize your own living room with how clean it now is. While in the moment, these things might seem annoying, it will only teach you to appreciate the lengths your family will go through to make you and others feel comfortable and welcomed.

3. The spoon trick

Over the years, some Thanksgiving-goers have perfected the art of stealing bits and pieces of food from the kitchen counters without anyone noticing. One can probably tell how adept these thieves have become by the kind of food they have taken. Most beginners are able to skim from the mac n cheese or stuffing; those who are more advanced might even be able to steal a roll or two without even a hint of suspicion. Yet the true master is able to slip away with a taste of pie or even some turkey, things that the cooks are sure to have their eye on. Luckily, you can start to look forward to the new heist opportunities on the counter top this year.

4. Nose-goes

After the turkey is cut and the pies are devoured, everyone has only one thing on their mind, getting to the closest bed or couch and taking the annual post-Thanksgiving coma nap. However, there’s one thing standing in the way, and that thing is cleaning off the table and doing the mountains of dishes from the feast. Everyone always seems to try to get out of it in their own way. Whether they silently sneak away to “take a phone call” or they try to act like they’re busy showing their younger cousins how to play a certain game, whoever is stuck at the table last seems to get stuck with the job. Get your game plans ready, and be prepared to sneak away just in time to take that much needed nap.

5. Picture time

Some Thanksgiving parties take annual family photos to commemorate the year and all the good things that have come out of it. This might mean that your Instagram feed will be filled with endless pictures of mothers, uncles and grandparents with captions about just how ‘thankful they are to have such a crazy family’. This year, instead of focusing on how cheesy these are, try to enjoy the fact that your friends have so much love and thanks for their family tree.

6. The leftovers

For most families, the countless casseroles, puddings and sides from the great feast just can’t be devoured in one sitting. Even though the media seems to focus on one big Thanksgiving meal, in reality, there are at least two more thanksgiving feasts to go with all of the leftovers. Some people go for the popular dishes of leftover mashed potatoes and cold pumpkin pie. Others like to mix it up a little and make new concoctions like the “Turkey Revenge”: leftover turkey in between two rolls slathered in spicy barbecue with a side of gravy. We all have our different methods, but when it comes down to it, once Thanksgiving is over and all of the thanks have been said, it’s every man for himself when it comes to who gets the last slice of grandma’s famous apple pie.

7. The modern form of thanks

Thanksgiving is a time to show how thankful you are for the people you have in your life. While most people get to show this love in person to their families at the dinner table, even more thanks can be given to the unofficial family you have created while away at school. Since you can’t thank your friends in person just yet, many college students have started to show their thanks with long and sappy group messages about just how thankful you are to have each other as friends. These texts are one of the unsung heroes of Thanksgiving because it reminds us all of the love and support coming towards us from our real homes and the home away from home we have created while at college.

With that, I wish everyone reading this to have a happy Thanksgiving. Through all of the chaos and distant relatives, remember to sit back and appreciate just how thankful you should be to have these people in your life. Whether they are right across the table from you, or are two thousand miles away texting you with turkey emojis, remember just how loved you are and how great turkey can be!