It’s the most wonderful time of the year: FINALS ARE OVER! After all-nighters, pizza binges, hysterical crying and making enough note cards that you don’t know if your hand will ever un-cramp you have made it through (mostly) unfazed. 

Now it’s time to pack your bags and head to the most wonderful place around: home. Your head dances with visions of home cooked meals and a fridge that never runs empty. You can’t think of any place you’d rather be, that is until you actually remember where it is located… your hometown. 

While I truly agree that there is nothing better than being home for the holidays, that doesn’t mean you are going to enjoy every second of it. After living on a college campus where literally every second of your existence is filled to the brim with activities and your favorite people to experience them with, your hometown just falls a bit short. Where are all my favorite bars? Where are the tail gates? What happened to the theme parties? Do we even have a movie theatre?! And let’s not forget, that basically every person you went to high school with is now within essentially a 5-mile radius of you.

Thankfully, I’ve created a list of things you need to ensure you have a fun and awkward encounter free holiday break: 

1. A Netflix subscription

While I think this is essential simply for day-to-day human function, a Netflix is truly a priceless commodity on my stints away from campus. With all responsibilities being thrown out the window for the time being, one has way too much time to partake in daytime television viewing. After a few days of nothing but cooking shows, infomercials and soap operas you thought stopped airing years ago you start to realize why these shows were not given a prime time viewing spot. You almost consider pulling out a textbook to read just to spice things up. 

Stop the madness. Save yourself. Save someone else. Buy a Netflix subscription and share it with the ones you love. The best way to share Christmas cheer is by binge watching every Christmas special available to you. 

2. A pair of oversized sunglasses

We all know it. We all dread it. The awkward high school reunion that happens every time you leave your house over winter break. Whether it’s a quick stop at the grocery store, dinner at your favorite Mexican restaurant, or a quick stroll around town to take in the Christmas charm... 9.5 times out of 10 you will run into an old high school acquaintance, and it will be awful. You’ll both begin the courteous exchange of, “How’s it going, how’s school, what are you doing nowadays?” until you both exhaust all possible small talk topics and proceed to find any excuse to continue on your way. 

This is why oversized sunglasses are absolutely necessary. Throw on a pair of these and a beanie on your way out the door and you’ll be good to carry on your errands in peace. Maybe even go full ski mask if you’re really committing to it. 

3. Wine (and lots of it)

Since dollar bomb Thursdays are no longer a regular staple of your weekly agenda, you have to find classier ways to keep your nights interesting. A glass of wine or two with dinner can be a lovely substitution, as well as convincing your parents to buy all those fancy beers you’ve been dying to try but too cheap to purchase for yourself. If you wanna make it really fun, take a drink for every time your parents ask you about your future, grades, or question what you are doing with your life. For all the underage readers out there, pop that sparkling cider and godspeed to you all.

4. A hobby

With loads of free time of your hands and no silly classes to distract you, the holidays are a perfect time to take up something new or reignite your passion in something you’ve tossed aside while at college. Whether you spend hours a day crafting a day for your future little, pull out that old guitar, or attempt to achieve the high rank of trivia crack, you really can’t go wrong. 

5. A perfectly planned reunion with your friends the moment you all return

For me, the countdown to see my friends again literally begins as soon as I leave them, so what better way to make the time go faster than to plan the perfect post break party. Coordinate outfits, develop a theme, discuss how many bottles of Andre should be purchased (per person), and basically blow up that group text so much your besties basically feel like you never left in the first place. <3 <3 <3