This weekend, I decided to go home and visit my family, possibly one of the biggest adult decisions I've made since starting college a few weeks ago. In addition to missing my family and wanting to spend time with them, I wanted to see some of my friends perform in a show and was also hoping to just get out of the college bubble for a little while. It's funny that at a certain point, despite mostly having a good time and enjoying being independent, I wanted to return to a different kind of reality. It still hasn't quite sunk in that college isn't summer camp (it would help if the heat subsided a little bit!), but I am very glad now that I chose a school that is close enough for me to come home for an almost-impromptu weekend when I want to. So here's just about everything I did on my 6-hour bus trip from Ithaca to New York City, as honestly as possible!
1. Eat lunch
Because you ate breakfast too late to be hungry before getting on the bus.
2. Consider eating other snacks, then decide not to
Because you're not hungry because you just ate lunch!
3. Try to do homework
It's an admirable pursuit. And it has to get done sometime.
4. Get nauseous from doing homework and have to stop
Well, at least you tried, right?
5. Shift position more than a few times
Hopefully, there's not someone sitting next to you.
6. Listen to a LOT of music
When your 73-song playlist starts over, you know it's been awhile.
7. Look out the window and admire the clouds and trees
This takes up a lot of time.
8. Sleep uncomfortably
Even if you bring a pillow, this is bound to happen.
9. Plan a trip to Canada
I have to check out apartments in case Donald Trump gets elected! Just kidding. But maybe I should do that while I'm there...
10. Fill out forms you never have time for otherwise
It's not any more interesting than it would've been any other time, but it's something to do.
11. Wish you had brought a sweater for the bus
Even though it's 70+ degrees outside in the place you're coming from and the place you're going to, the bus is inevitably cold.
12. Start to get sad about the things you're missing this weekend
Your Bigs putting on Drunk Shakespeare, a trip to a comic book store, your floor meeting, probably a couple auditions...
13. Then, remember the exciting things you're doing instead this weekend
Seeing your family, going to a concert, hanging out at a street fair with your friends from home... Maybe even getting some good New York City Chinese food!
14. Realize that maybe college feels a little more like home than you expected it to
Not a replacement, but a second home.
15. Get a text reminding you to write your Odyssey article!
And thus, this article was born.
