The weeks leading up to summer, I imagined what it would be like to be back living at home after nine months of living independently at school. What would be the same? What would be different? Well, some things will always be the same while others are what you thought they'd never be.
1. Friends
Excitement and anticipation are high when being reunited with your best friends from high school. While you were off changing and growing at school, so were all of your friends. This year was full of realizations. You discovered who your real friends are, the friends you made the extra effort to keep in touch with. But what will happen when you're all home together? Will things still be the same like nothing has changed at all? The biggest realization of all, however, is that your high school friends will always be your friends, no matter how long you don't talk for. There's something about these friendships that are different. These are the friends that you grew up with, learned with, and changed with. Sure, you might not be as close as you once were, but there will always be a place in your heart for your high school and childhood friends.
2. Freedom
Ah, the most exciting and new concept that you recently adjusted to while away at school. Nobody to tell you to clean your room, whether or not you can have your friends over, or what time to be home by at the end of the night. After nine months of being the boss of your own life and calling all the shots, you'll return home and live under your parents' roof again. Will you once again have a curfew? Will your parents try to tell you what to do? It's a tricky thing, you don't want to rebel against your parents, but at the same time, you're more than capable of that independence you just recently mastered. As the summer progresses, you might just gain some of that freedom back.
3. Routine
While away at school, you had every choice in the world with what to do each day. Don't want to go to class? Your parents will never know if you don't tell them. Want to eat cake for breakfast? Nobodies there to stop you. Decide to stay up till 3 a.m. to continue binge watching your newest Netflix show? Your call. However, at home, your parents will probably ask you to run errands for them, go to family dinners, and spend quality family time together. Your day might just not be your day anymore, which may or may not be a good thing, but that's for you to decide.
Coming home from college is nothing short of unordinary. Just like going to college, coming back home is also a big adjustment. However, you choose to transition back to life at home, take advantage of the break from school and stress and just enjoy your mom's cooking and your comfortable big bed.
