For the past 4-5 months, this semester has been an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows. And now…it’s all over. You can finally go home and curl up in bed, with the knowledge that you can sleep in as late as you want and will never have to return to the class that you hated. You have survived! In celebration of this: here is a list of necessities that will ensure that this break is a sucess.
1. Get PUMPED about the Holidays!
This should have started the moment you sat down at the family table for Thanksgiving. Usually, by Dec. 1, your sweaters would be tacky, your holiday decorations would be up and you would be scarfing down a bunch of peppermint-favored goodies while listening to “Tis the Season” music. However, your spirit was too drained by finals week to get in the mood to put up a tree. No more. Do not continue to sulk on any college issues that still linger and get in the spirit!
2. Eat as much homecooked food as you can stomach
You’ve eaten your fair share of fast food while away. Feel tears of happiness prick your eyes as you eat homemade mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. Get some leftovers to take back to the dorm when break is over.
3. Sleep.
For hours and hours. Just…*yawn* try not to *yawn* sleep away the entire break. Your family will view your rare appearances outside of your room as if you were an animal on the nature channel.
4. Plan a Get-Together with Friends.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you and your friends from high school (the one’s you actually want to see again) got together during break? Live up to the pact that you all made the on the last day of your senior year. You don’t want to regret losing someone close to you because both of you were too afraid to reach out.
5. Take a Nice Shower.
No shower shoes. A nice, clean shower not used by hundreds of boys or girls before you. A nice, hot shower with good water pressure. Sounds like Heaven.
6. Avoid talking about school as much as possible.
Of course, every. single. family member is going to ask you the same stock question: “How’s college?” It is going to get tiring, so why bring it up more than you must? And droning on about it will just bring back the stress you are trying to forget.
7. And Your relationship status.
This can be either a sensitive subject or something that you want to brag about. If it’s the former, have a nice/joking answer prepared and move on. If it's the latter....congratulations.
8. AND Politics.
1) It only brings people down/starts an outright war at the dinner table and 2) It would be nice if your family would continue to pay for you to continue college.
9. Cuddle your pets!
Get your share of your best furry friend before you leave. You now have the therapy animal that you wished you had while away. Hold him/her close and let go of the tears that you have been holding in your entire semester.
10. Spend Quality Time with your family.
This should be a no-brainer. Let yourself fall into all the cheesy family traditions throughout the holiday season and create some of your happiest memories. Just because you are in college doesn’t mean that you are “too cool” to take part.
Check everything off this list and then check it twice. Use this time to de-stress and remind yourself what is really important in life. Make this break something to remember!
