Hello world, it’s me: a college student home for winter break.

I’ve been holed up in my parents' house for lord knows how many days. The first night back, I ate a delicious home cooked meal, but lately, I’ve been surviving off snacks and take out. I do what I can to sustain myself in this treacherous environment — mostly hunting for vitamin rich foods that are commonly found in the refrigerator.

Mornings out here in the wilderness of my home are quite the adventure. I’m woken up early most days by a territorial inhabitant the natives refer to as “mom.” She’s known to whistle loudly at dawn and likes to clean the house while others are sleeping. It’s usually tricky, but avoiding her to get out of chores is the best method for conserving energy.

With all this extra energy, nature guides suggest that holiday shopping is a great way to appease the king and queen of this jungle and gifts are often viewed as effective peace treaties. Whatever you do, keep these inhabitants happy because you’re on their territory and they look for every opportunity to pounce.

All the free time this great adventure I call “winter break” has given me makes me think quite a bit. I often look back at what my campus life was like before I returned to this particular ecosystem. My time here has been quite lonely, but I always knew that this trek into the wilderness of my hometown would be. What amazes me most is how quiet it is here at nights. When I finally finish an episode on Netflix around 4:00 a.m., I take a moment before falling asleep to appreciate the silence of a room without other people sleeping only feet away.

Aside from the apparent dangers of my adventure and the species known as “parents” that roam free here, I’m learning how to survive on my own without living with my best friends.

I’ll check in again when I reach three-quarters of my journey into this long, barren winter break. Wish me luck, it’s do-or-die out here.