College students tend to have mixed feelings about going home for the summer. For some people, the minute their last final ends, they book it to pack everything up into their parent's car and race home. On the other hand, if you're like me, going home and leaving school for the summer becomes more dreadful as the end of finals approach.
The thought of saying goodbye to your best friends, leaving the fun of college life behind, and going to live in your relatively boring hometown can be depressing and anticlimactic for many college students. However, I've realized that being away from school for a little while isn't THAT that awful. In fact, there are several benefits of being home for the summer months.
You have no schoolwork and more free time.
College is a fun time, but being away at school almost always coincides with having to do schoolwork. Unless you're taking a class at a nearby community college or online, you usually get a break from academic life for a while when you're at home. Plus, with no schoolwork, you can spend more time doing things you enjoy. Since you're not obligated to spend your day in a classroom or in the library, you finally have the chance to do things you don't typically get to do much of during the school year. For example, go outside and take advantage of the nice summer weather.
You get to see your family.
For at least nine months of the year, you live on your own. You only see your family for a few days around holidays, whereas you used to see them every day in high school. Although you may not miss all the rules and chores they make you abide by, your parents and siblings probably miss having you around. Being at home for three months is a precious opportunity to spend time with your family before you head back to school for nine months again. In a few short years, you probably won't be staying at your parents' house at all, and even if you don't think you will, you'll miss them from time to time. So enjoy their company now.
You get to see your pets.
This is one of the few things that could convince me to come home for one more summer. Nothing beats walking through your front door and having your dogs greet you when you come home.
You get to eat home-cooked meals for three months.
One of my favorite things about going home for the summer is the benefit of getting to eat home-cooked meals every day. Say goodbye to crappy dining hall food and expensive takeout. There's nothing better than mom's cooking. Realize how lucky you are and enjoy the luxury of having great food prepared for you at home before you go into the real world and have to cook every meal for yourself -- that is, live off of cereal and PB&J until you adjust.
Transportation is so much easier.
For underclassmen that didn't have the luxury of having a car at college, being home actually creates more freedom with access to a car. And for those who did have their car at school, at least at home you probably don't have to worry about annoying parking permits for the summer months. It's nice to be able to just walk outside your front door, get in your car and go anywhere you want, without having to ask a friend to drive you or walk to your car in some far away parking garage.
Sure, maybe being away from all your college friends for the summer may suck, but try to look on the bright side of things. Living at home for the summer has a lot of benefits that you won't be able to take advantage of pretty soon. So stop pouting and make the best of being at home while you still have the option. You're going to miss the perks of living at your parents' house once you move out for good.
