With the last week of midterms and quizzes and presentations and just plain ol’ stress, everyone’s itching to get home. Texts from my mom about the food she has waiting for me and the annoyance of the tiniest things in my dorm had me just imagining my world at home of a big, comfy bed, all the food I can imagine, and being surrounded by some of the most loving people in my life. Fall break was coming, and that vibe was just dancing around campus. The feeling of going home for the first time in a few months makes everyone feel a little brighter about the upcoming weekend.
Thursday afternoon: Finally getting finished with all of your midterms and assignments is the best feeling because that huge burden is just lifted off your shoulders. All you can think about is getting home, and it kills you to know you still have a whole day to wait.
Friday morning: Well, I guess I better pack. But I probably won’t bring a ton of stuff because I know I left a fair amount at home, so I’ll bring like, one pair of shoes and a shirt. Yeah. That’s perfect. And my parents will be so proud of me for not overpacking.
Friday afternoon: Wow, hustling to the airport actually is a bigger deal than I thought it would be. And for some reason, my suitcase is much heavier than I thought.
Friday night: It's my parents! It’s my family! My people that love me the most! We go out to eat wherever I’d like because I am just the most wonderful guest to ever step into this house, forgetting the fact that I did live here for the past 19 years. I’m told that my bed has clean sheets on it and everyone is just so excited to see me. My mom crawls up on my bed and we talk and talk.
Saturday morning: I woke up... without an alarm... without a roommate... without people being loud outside... and I can go to the bathroom without shoes on? Life is just so great. Life is wonderful. God is real. I even get to make my way downstairs to a fridge and pantry full of food, and I haven’t even had to leave my house for this. Forget trudging it across campus to Dhall -- I have a whole kitchen full of food at my disposal.
Saturday afternoon: I’ve now decided that taking a shower is the most luxurious thing in the world. There’s no hair in the shower and I don’t have to wear shoes. The water pressure actually gets the soap out of my hair, and my goodness, I am in heaven.
Saturday night: Friends that I haven’t seen in what seems so long are also home and it brings a tear to my eye to see all of my amazing high school friends. This is all just like high school and college combined! Except now I realize that I still have a curfew and it’s not exactly like college. But tons of fun as we go to our favorite places where we all became friends throughout high school. This is home.
Sunday morning: Up and early we go! I’m pretty tired. Well actually, really tired. Oh well, I can go back and nap later. And no homework to worry about.
Sunday afternoon: Oops, I forgot that naps weren’t as acceptable at home as they were at school. At school, everyone is taking naps. An 8 p.m. nap is actually totally normal, but not even a Sunday nap is okay? Oh well, still thinking about the good meal I have coming later.
Sunday night: I guess I’m on my own for dinner? That’s totally cool. I can make myself something, or I can go out to eat! Then you start to realize that in real life, dining dollars don’t exist and you actually have to use real cash to pay for a meal. And it hurts with every penny, but hey, still better than Sunday night at Dhall. Anything is better than Sunday night at Dhall.
Monday morning: ....Everyone is gone? Everyone is at school and work? Who do I talk to? This is what the real world is like? Oh gosh, I really don’t think I can do the real world. What happened to all the luxurious food that was in our kitchen? Did it disappear or did it just become less appealing? I guess I’ll just settle for a piece of bread for breakfast.
Monday morning (continued): Why is every bottle in the shower empty?
Monday afternoon: Still no one home, and I’ve now watched three hours of TV. I guess I’ll make myself a sandwich. Really wishing we had a panini machine. Or better yet, the panini line. I guess I do sort of miss the mean panini lady.
Monday night: This whole idea of not having homework this weekend is so nice! Let me just make sure that I don’t have any work. Oh dang, I need to have three chapters of this book read and a reflective essay done for Wednesday. And an entire book and some online problems. I guess I can get this done?
Tuesday morning/afternoon: Oh no oh no oh no I have no homework done and I haven’t packed and all of my clothes are dirty, but my plane is leaving in a few hours and my family isn’t home and oh no oh no oh no what am I going to do?! *panic attack ensues*
Tuesday night: Ahhh. I’ve made it back in Richmond, I’m with all my friends, and I have a burrito from the burrito bar. It’s all back to normal.
So Fall Break, thanks for being so swell, and thank you to my real home for welcoming so. But as much as I love being home, it’s definitely nice to be back in my other home.
