The transition from college back to home life for the summer is far from seamless. Responsibilities and freedoms change as you adjust back to life at home. For many, this can lead to extreme denial in the form of Post College Separation Disorder, or PCSD. Here are 11 signs that you are suffering from this very illness:
1. You only leave the house to get food.
And even then, you aren’t happy about it. All you want to do is stay in and deny the fact that the year has come to an end.
2. You can’t remember the last time you tried to look decent.
Nothing at home excites you enough to motivate you to compose yourself. Now more than ever, you prefer the au naturel look.
3. You are in a committed relationship with Netflix.
It has stood by your side through it all, so you hold on tight. Binge-watching your favorite shows is sometimes the only way to keep your mind off the post-college summer transition.
4. You sleep for more hours than you are awake.
When you are asleep, you don’t have to face the reality of the passage of an incredible year. That, along with the fact that your body needs to catch up on an insane amount of lost sleep, calls for many days dedicated to rest.
5. You are in a standoff with your yet-to-be-unpacked suitcases.
While your parents may see it as laziness, there is much more behind leaving your suitcases unpacked. The longer those clothes remained tucked away, the longer you can pretend like you will be heading back to school soon. However, once situated in your room, you have to let go of the year that has passed.
6. You nostalgically scroll through your camera roll multiple times a day.
Every photo brings back a flood of memories. You can’t help but smile (and maybe even tear up) as you recall all of the crazy adventures that defined your year away from home. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
7. You send your college friends constant updates on your life to make sure they haven’t forgotten about you.
Just because you don’t live with them anymore doesn’t mean that you stop sharing every waking moment of your life with them. It’s only natural for you to keep them in the loop.
8. Pajamas are your new outfit of choice.
Greek life t-shirts and college apparel keep you connected to school while you are away for the summer. These memory-packed pieces come with a sense of comfort for which you long once you get home.
9. You check the weather at school as a force of habit.
And when the weather is better, you wish nothing more than to be back in the city you’ve grown to call home.
10. Every conversation you have starts with “so this one time at school…”.
Reminiscing on the amazing times is the only thing that gets you through the first few weeks at home. You never get bored of telling your absolute favorite stories to your family and friends.
11. You are already counting down to move-in day in the fall.
Yes, a summer without the pressures of classes and exams is nice. But at the end of the day, you just want to go home.
