Ah, the holiday season! Everyone is looking forward to spending time with close family and friends and exchanging gifts in an intimate setting. Mmmm, I can nearly taste the roasted chicken now, and I swear I keep smelling those holiday sugar cookies baking in the oven. Okay, so who am I kidding? Holiday time for college students is nice when the holidays actually approach, but the days leading up to it can oftentimes be hellish torture. The following are some relatable instances.

1. Trapped

I want to be home to enjoy my nice, long six-week break! All of my friends are already home, but I am not. I must stay at school and finish my last final, which is like, 10 days after my first final. What sense does it make to have me sit around this desolate campus for 10 days without human interaction?

2. Having to worry about buying holiday gifts

Not only must I be concerned about studying and doing well on my final exams, but I must also scramble around to find “that perfect gift” for “that special someone.” I have to keep up the balancing act of doing schoolwork, studying, writing papers, and making sure 1,000 of my closest friends and family are happy. My brain is not my only rotting possession, as a result of this, but my wallet is, too.

3. Dining hall food

My school’s dining hall does not serve horrible food. However, nothing beats a home-cooked meal. My mouth waters and my belly rumbles for my mom’s homemade treats.

4. Where is everyone?

*Cue the cricket sound here.* Many of my friends are already home for the holidays, and I am just here. I enjoy being on my own and being independent, however, focusing on my final touches of my schoolwork becomes difficult because I get distracted thinking about all of my friends and loved ones at home. I feel a bit of jealousy towards my friends who went home days before me. Alright, I guess I’m on campus alone. I better go chill with the squirrels!

5. Mentally planning out your winter break schedule when you should be doing homework

When actually home, winter break is an exceptionally convenient and awesome opportunity to catch up with friends and family. However, planning and preparation is required to do so, and although I should be studying, I will most likely be daydreaming about the upcoming vacation.

6. Thinking about what gifts you may receive over the holidays

There seem to be so many distractions around the holiday season. Although mountains of work are assigned, and this is true crunch time, I find myself constantly thinking about which gifts I will receive for the holidays like a 5-year-old. Hey, you’re never too old for presents…unless you’re 97. Just kidding, Grandma!

7. Having to keep track of which exams are when

Although college students are accustomed to keeping track of their busy social and academic lives, for whatever reason, knowing when your final exams are can be confusing. Final exams are usually not on the same day or the same time as your class. Having to remember this new time and date can be unnecessarily challenging.

8. Hearing Christmas music and realizing that you’re not home

I know that Christmas music makes everyone super giddy and in a good mood and all of that, but having Christmas music surrounding you while you are still at school can make you wish that you were home even more. The holidays are all about family time, and the fact that you are not yet with your family is a bit depressing.

9. Realizing that you may not get to fully relax over break

It is lovely to have time away from school, but as a college student, there is always something to get done. You may find yourself ordering books for the following semester over winter break, or studying for career building exams, such as the PRAXIS for education majors. Having a change of scenery is wonderful, but will the work ever end?

10. Seeing people’s social media while you’re still at school

She’s on vacation in some warm climate, he took a picture of himself laying in bed all day, and what am I doing? Studying my ass off in hopes of acing this exam.

11. Realizing that you didn’t learn much this semester in that one class

Everyone has that one class in college that is kind of a joke. Whether it is that sociology class or that finite mathematics class, we have all been there. Teaching ourselves the material because our actual professors are incapable of doing so is quite the accomplishment. *Pat on the back*

12. Having mixed feels because college is quickly passing by

As excited as I am to get home for winter break, I realize that college is quickly passing. I am astonished that I am almost in my second semester of my sophomore year. Soon I will be halfway done with my college career! I enjoy college, and I am both sad and happy that it is flying. I am happy to eventually obtain my degree in a field that I love and have all of my hard work pay off, but I am sad that such a wonderful chapter in my life is zipping past. However, now it’s holiday time, so there is no time to worry about that. Au revoir, pre-holiday blues, and hellooooooo vacation!

College students are hustling and bustling during the pre-holiday vacation period, but it is pertinent that students work diligently and save the fun stuff for later! Happy Holidays to all!