Well, the madness of winter break is now over, and you find yourself in the throes of reunited friendships and the excitement of a new semester. There is no better time to be with your near and dear college friends, and soon the patterns of reunion catch you in its phased web. The following are eight stages of college homecoming, most of which we can all too sincerely relate to.
1. Screaming with excitement.
Frequencies like no other are heard throughout the campus as dear friends and roommates are now united after the holiday hell. This is a beautiful moment, and is often followed by tears of joy and warm embraces. One would be surprised to hear that it has only been a month since you have last seen each other.
2. Table talk troop.
This is when your squad joins forces after the long break and catches each other up on all that has been going on! (Not that the frequent social media updates allow for news you don’t already kno.). This stage often follows the adrenaline drop caused by stage one, and thus energy must be subsidized with the delicious snacks and treats from each troop member’s respective homes.
3.Talking away the night.
As it all too often goes, your squad reunions are very soon a good excuse to enjoy the night to the fullest. As the music begins to drum through the tête-à-tête of the get together, the eyes of your squadron begin to glaze over with the idea of a sleepless night enjoyed with the best of your friends until the wee hours of the morning.
4. Confirmation.
This phase often occurs as a result of an emotional overload, as well as the increased sensation of sleep deprivation. (The excitement to be back masks your developing exhaustion.) Your friends are incredibly important to you, and thus, you remain in a state of disbelief that they are actually here. Constant hugging and repetition of the phrase: "I missed you," is a common feature of this stage.
5. Tales of torment.
Scary stories of nagging parents and dysfunctional families are told round the room, each newly told tale more frightening than the last. Even though the stories may not be nearly as bad as they are made out to be, the relief of escaping wacky family units for the next few months unites students and friends alike.
6. Social media frenzy.
The logic of this stage is: Why shouldn’t the world be just as excited as you are to be back at university? Soon phones are buzzing with tags and updates on any and all forms of social media, updating the world with photos of your first night back in school.
7. Melodramatic farewell.
Time has seemed to pass much too quickly, and all at once comes the realization that you do indeed go to university for an education. With new classes starting early the next day, you are faced with the reality that sooner or later you must succumb to your body’s right to rest. The goodbyes are far from brief. It hasn’t yet registered to you that you will be spending most of your free time with these people for the next semester, and thus, you continue to spout out heartfelt sentiments for a goodbye that is truly to only last the night. But of course, there is no wrong time to let your friends know how much you love them!
8. Gratitude.
As you wind down for the night, you feel happy laying your body to rest on your lumpy college mattress, as you feel gratefully blessed to have such wonderful friends in your lives. They say that these are to be the best times of your life, and you are lucky to be sharing it with them.
