Family parties are great, especially coming home after college and not having seen them for months on end. There are food, cousins, grandparents, and babies all around you. This is a huge contrast after being in a place where coffee, parties, and weird smells have surrounded you for months. Family parties are where some of the best memories are created and bonds are formed with relative, but after being in college for nine months this can seem a little weird. You love them, but family life is very different than college life. These are the stages of a family party:

1. Walking in:

The inevitable question: Why am I here? You are used to frat parties, all nighters, and boring professors. Now you have to transition into family mode. How do I even hold this baby? Why is it crying? What is that smell coming from it?

2. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs

I am from a family of huggers. We hug when we see each other, we hug when we leave, we hug for any reason whatsoever. This seems especially true when your aunts, uncles, and cousins haven't seen you after college. Hugs for everyone.

3. The small talk:

Small talk is an imminent part of every family party. Between all the family members there it can be a struggle to get a deep conversation going with just one person. Reminder to always be careful not to let slip some of the wild things that you've done... You can most likely still get in trouble for them, but they are great conversation pieces for when you're 25 or 30.

4. The food:

One of the best parts of a family party is definitely the food. Finally after months you can get a real home cooked meal with no limit on the amount you can eat. This makes you realize how bad the food at the dining hall really is.

5. The talk at the table

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Talks at the family dinner table can be fun or rough depending on your family. Sitting and listen while eating food so no one asks you too many questions is the best bet. Although the question that always seems to come up: Are you dating someone? Conversing with family is fun when this question can be avoided. Also try to avoid exchanging stories with cousins about the wild parties at school: "I've smoked weed, have you?" Definitely not, but thanks for asking. Another topic that is always heated is politics. It's a bad idea to bring it up in class and an even worse idea to bring it up with family. Talk about a family feud.

6. The food coma:

After a great family dinner, a food coma is likely to follow. After all, we've been eating food that is questionably edible.

7. The dreaded questions about school:

What classes are you taking? Are you done with the year yet? How are your grades? How did finals go? What are you going to do with your life? These questions always seem to come up. I love school, but by the time I'm home for summer I'm over it. I give three answers: "school is great, classes are fine, and I feel like I'm failing at everything." I do not know what I'm doing with my life mostly because I still don't know what I'll even be doing tomorrow. This is always a good time to pretend as if you're choking or just ask if there's dessert.

8. Saying your good-bye's:

It's been real. Saying good-bye to family is always sad, but the good news is you're home for the summer and the next holiday party is right around the corner. You'll get your fill of family before you head back to school.