Done with finals. I reflected on the recent semester, planning what to improve for the next one as I pack my things and get ready to go to the airport. It’s been three years since I went to San Francisco and I can’t help but feel excited to see my family and what I consider a home away from home. I was excited to see my family again and spend some time in a place that was not as cold as Chicago.

I took this time away as a time of relaxation in which I focused on my personal well-being and went into destressing. I had a rough semester and I needed the time for myself. Most of all, I bonded with family and got to catch up with everyone since everything was different. I’ve never had a meaningful relationship with my cousins mostly because of age difference, but I was able to hang out and go with them to the movies. I also bonded with both my aunts as we went through racks and racks of clothes. I filled my closet with new clothes and in a way it felt very therapeutic.

There was also a lot of eating involved. As I’m sure the holidays are the time in which everyone eats more than usual, I had my fill with traditional Mexican food. I gained some weight, which I’m now working on losing it, but at the same time I can’t complain as much because it is once a year that I get to eat all of this delicious food. On Christmas and New Year’s Eve we had small family gatherings and I was able to catch up with family I haven’t seen since I was five. This was the first time I spent the holidays in San Francisco and it was a little awkward at first because I’m used to being surrounded by snow, and this time I was surrounded by rain.

The weather was not what I expected. I knew that it wasn’t going to be the best, but I at least wished it was sunny. There was a lot of rain and it gave me the opportunity to catch up on some reading and interesting conversations I found myself in. Overall, I had a great time this winter break catching up with my family and see a lot of places of one of my favorite cities. Downtown San Francisco might not compare to Chicago downtown, but it is beautiful as well and I got my fill on it. I would really recommend traveling there to anyone looking for a new adventure and place to explore. I always have a great time there and I’m sure anyone else will.