After enduring 16 long weeks of class plus finals, there is no place that sounds better than home. While getting to go back home is always exciting, whether it's for a week or the whole summer, each time is always a slap of reality to remind you you're not a full fledged adult quite yet. While following all the unnecessary rules set by parents is a change of pace, it can be nice too.
Pros:
Getting to see family and friends
Probably the best thing about coming home is the people you get to be around. Catching up with your high school best friend like nothing has changed is an amazing feeling. Family time in limited quantities is generally good, and being able to play with your pets is one of the greatest activities there is.
Home- cooked meals
Being able to eat whatever you want at school may be convenient, but it's so unhealty. Whether you're shopping on a budget or eating from campus dining halls, there is not much variety and the same frozen food and cereal gets old.
No school functions
No class, no homework, no exams, no meetings. Being at home, your to- do list may have a chore on two on it, but checking your planner every hour to ensure you didn't forget something is no longer a worry.
All the Attention
At school, I live in a suite by myself. This means I have no one to come home to that will ask about my day or go eat with me when other friends are busy. At home, there are people around. I can become my mom's shadow while everyone else is gone, and then there are siblings to either pester or hang out with later. Also, moms will try to catch up on missed time while you were away.
Cons
Spontaneity is not a thing
Going back home is like starring in 17 Again, minus Zac Efron. If you make plans with friends, your parents must know what you're doing, who you're going with, where you're going, when you'll be home, and every other possible question they can think of. You can't text a friend to meet you at Starbucks in 10 minutes for caramel macchiatos because your mom didn't know 24 hours in advance.
Rules
"My house, my rules": possibly a parent's favorite line. Being home means you no longer have the freedom to do whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it. Besides being under constant watch, you now have a curfew, have to wash dishes, and do whatever you're asked. While there rules aren't generally unreasonable, losing freedom tof make your own choices sucks.
You don't get to see your school family
At school, most people hang out with the samexception group of friends pretty consistently, they become a second family to you. However, going home means not being able to see them daily. This is quite a strange feeling and being homesick from your actual home is sad. Whether you have summer plans with these friends or not, not seeing them at least 3 times a week is not acceptable. Using social media to keep in touch helps to ease the loneliness.
While going home for the summer is exciting, it also means that another year of school has come to an end and you're one year closer to adulthood. This harsh reality makes these simple changes in lifestyle seem miniscule and possibly even tolerable. Since having three months off during the nicest time of the year will soon not be a thing, HAGS!
