Thanksgiving, for many college students, is the first time they will return home since they first left for college. It can certainly be a mixed bag of feelings. While parents are always excited to see their kids back, the kids aren't always as joyful. They've made a new life at college, and going back can feel like returning to old ways and old habits; often things they don't want to go back to. Here's a list of five reasons why this trip is always worth it.
It means more to your family than you think
They might not make it clear, but your family misses you more than you know. Imagine having someone in your life every day for 18 years, only for them to disappear for 3 months. Even if you talk to your family every day, they still feel like you are gone from their lives. You might feel the same too. This is a chance for you to reconnect and strengthen your bonds.
2. Seeing your friends is a reminder of why you are who you are
Old friends will (hopefully) always be there for you. Your high school friends shaped the person you are, for better or for worse. It might be hard to hear, but you've changed since you came to college. Going back to the people that shaped your basic personality can reaffirm the things that might have been lost by the new people you've met at college.
3. Take a break from your new life to remember the old you
Remember all of your old hobbies from high school? Did you take them to college with you? If not, Thanksgiving is a chance to get back to the things you enjoy. Maybe you simply didn't have time because of homework, or maybe you didn't think it was cool, but hobbies are part of who you are. Ignoring the things you enjoy is never a good idea.
4. Changing the environment around you can affect your entire outlook
Being trapped in a dorm room is hard, even if you don't think it is. Be honest, how many times have you left campus this semester? Ten? I'd bet my left pinky toe that you've spent 80% of your time in your dorm. Going home to your old room and getting off campus can change your outlook. Maybe the colors on campus are just too bright and happy, and you need for the world to be just a little bit softer for a while. Maybe it will make you appreciate the beauty of your campus more when you come back. Maybe your campus isn't nice, and you need to go home to your nice clean house. No matter what, the change can do you good.
