After two to four years of full-fledged freedom, many graduates move back home after college. It is an experience that can be described in three short words: reverse culture shock.
Here are 10 thoughts boomerang children often have upon re-entering our homes.
1. Can we redo my bedroom?
Once we get back to our house, it has to be out with the high school and in with the adult. Or the adult we like to pretend we are.
2. Privacy. Please.
Our parents don't often realize that we don't want to tell them every detail of our lives any more.
3. NO MORE CAMPUS FOOD!!!
But they cook for us, and after many years of overdone burgers or extremely greasy pizza, that's a big plus.
4. Please stop job-hunting for me.
We have it under control. Really.
5. I promise I have a plan for my life.
It's top secret, though. We can't unveil the details until they happen.
6. Yes, I can do chores. No, not right this second.
We have our own big boy and big girl to-do lists to take care of. But the dishes will get done tonight, we promise.
7. I appreciate your advice, but please let me figure it out the hard way.
We'll look back on it and see that you were right, but we've spent the last few years finding the pros and cons to every situation through experience and we don't want to change that.
8. Do I really need to tell you where I'm going every time I leave the house?
We love that you care about the details of our life, but we're not going to do drugs or get drunk.
9. Wait, what's curfew?
Need I say more?
10. I am a stranger in my own house.
Parents don't know the person who is coming back from school very well, so it's a big change for them to try and figure out this new version of their kid.
No matter the struggles we run into with our family when we move back home, we are grateful for the sacrifices they've made for us along the way. And struggles and personality conflicts aside, there really is no place like home!
