Don't get me wrong. College comes with joys and adventures that I wouldn't want to miss. But by the end of the semester I am more than ready to pack up my belongings, kiss my dorm room goodbye, and get on my way. Here are 5 reasons that I'm good and ready to go home:
1. Roommates are not all they are cracked up to be.
When we first head off to college, most of us are excited by the thought of living alone and exercising a greater degree of independence. But, let's face it, living in a dorm is the furthest thing from living "alone!" Unless we are fortunate enough to win the dorm room lottery, we will be squeezed into a space far smaller than our bedrooms back home, typically with a perfect stranger who may or may not become a friend. No matter how hard both of us try, that stranger/friend will reveal her quirks at some point. We will gnash our teeth in silence as she plays rap music while we fruitlessly attempt to study for an Organic Chemistry exam, roll our eyes at the way she throws her dirty and clean laundry on the floor, and come to the stark realization that solitary confinement sounds pretty darn good.
2. Feeding yourself at college is difficult and expensive.
I have just completed a tortuous week of trying to eat Passover food while living in a dorm. Needless to say, I am somewhat embittered after surviving on lunches of matzah and cream cheese and dinners of baked potatoes. However, even during the rest of the year, eating at college is not nearly as convenient as eating at home. With a refrigerator that can barely hold four yogurts, anyone in a standard dorm must be on a meal plan. That means grabbing meals around class time, and being at the mercy of when college eating establishments open and close. If you have limited time between classes, you may be stuck buying lunch at a neighborhood restaurant, wasting your meal plan dollars, or calling a bag of chips and a Coke lunch.
3. Traveling beyond the confines of campus is rare.
Whether you grew up in the city or the suburbs, you were probably used to giving little thought to transportation. Need groceries? Want to try a new restaurant? Only a ride away. Unless we are lucky enough to have a car with us, any plan to leave campus takes careful and precise planning. Is it walkable? Or will the distance require a bus? Or should I just save myself the hassle of switching routes by splurging on a cab? When home, our freedom to travel with ease is a given. Either we have access to a vehicle or we are so familiar with our surroundings that getting from place to place does not require maps!
4. Dorm life means accommodations and limited privacy.
When I return home, I relish my own bedroom, with its comfy bed, its spacious closet, and the contents which are mine and mine alone. Even more importantly, I love the fact that the hour I choose to wake up in the morning is not dependent upon whether I have to time my morning shower around the schedules of several or even dozens of other people. Washing and drying my laundry is nothing but a chore in my dorm. Often, there is no available washer, or someone has "forgotten" a load of laundry which sits wet and mildewy in the machine. Finally, the notion of any real bathroom privacy is lost in college.
5. Missing your hometown and family is an everyday occurrence.
Sure, you love the city your college is in and you've made some of your best friends at college. But when all is said and done, nothing can replace home. From simply needing a hug from your mom or visiting your beloved cafe, college life isn't cutting it. What makes home so appealing can be summed up in the word "comfort." Nobody knows you as well as the people who have been by your side for years. Nothing feels quite as right as your old stomping grounds. It's who you are and where you come from.
