Going home for winter break is a strange time for college students. On one hand, you're excited to see your family and old friends. On the other hand, you don't want to leave the new friends and the new home you've created at school. Nonetheless, students usually start winter break with high expectations, only to realize how misguided those expectations were. Here are some common misconceptions that college students have about their ideas of winter break:
Expectation: You’ll go to the gym in your free time to avoid gaining holiday weight.
Reality: You lie in bed and watch Netflix in your spare time, only leaving your bed to use the bathroom or get more food.
Expectation: You’ll enjoy time spent with your family, whom you’ve missed very much.
Reality: Being in a house with your crazy family after spending months away from them is driving you up a wall, and you can’t wait to escape.
Expectation: You’ll get home-cooked meals every night and escape the usual takeout and dining hall food.
Reality: Your mom tells you that you’re old enough to cook for yourself, and you end up getting takeout anyway.
Expectation: You’ll catch up with all your old friends from your hometown and go out all the time.
Reality: You realize that you only have a couple friends from home that you still keep in touch with, and you rarely leave your house.
Expectation: You’ll do fun winter activities and enjoy the snow.
Reality: You don't have any snow to enjoy because it's 50 degrees in December.
Expectation: You’ll have so much time for relaxation and doing whatever you want now that classes are over.
Reality: You have to work almost every day.
Expectation: Holiday dinners will be filled with good conversation and warm welcomes from family members.
Reality: The dinner conversation steers towards why your grades aren’t perfect, what you plan on doing with your life, and why you’re still single.
Expectation: You'll get a break from doing laundry and cleaning now that you're no longer living on your own.
Reality: Your parents still expect you to pitch in with the housework, and it almost seems like they want you to do so now more than ever.
Expectation: You'll be able to stay out as late as you want with your friends because you're an adult.
Reality: You still have a curfew, and it's at least 3 hours earlier than what you had hoped.
Expectation: You'll hate being home because you have a temporary loss of your freedom.
Reality: You hate having to abide by your parents' rules, but you still enjoy being home with your family (even when they drive you crazy).
