I am a second-year student at Purdue University. This means I have been staying in a dorm, my first year, and an apartment, this year, rather than home. It has led to me not really spending time at home with my family. Even when I was home for breaks, I spent more of my time with my friends and at work rather than with my family. It was just the way things were going. Then we got into the pandemic of COVID-19. My parents asked me to come back home, so I packed my things and I was moved back into both of my parent's houses. It was a weird transition, to begin with, and still has some weird parts. But, I have learned ways to make it work again, and I want to share some with you.
Family Relationships
I think I may have written about this in my last article, but with moving home it has led to me being with my family almost all the time. Which is a weird transition for me. At first, I spent most of my time locked away in the basement. I was either working on homework, watching Netflix, or talking to my friends. I was still away at college in my mind. But, within a couple weeks I slowly started leaving the basement and spent more time with my family. Now, my sister and I are closer than before. Going on random drives, talking about Criminal Minds, or the random TikTok that one of us found funny. I also have been able to spend more time with my step-mom by working out. We started a workout video and have been sticking to it the entire quarantine. It has been something to keep us in shape and something small to look forward to either before or after our long days of online class and work. My mom and I are still as close as we were before I came home. She works on campus, and I spent a decent amount of time running between her office and my classes when I needed a place to sit and get things done.
Meal Times
Being home means that I actually have set meal times and do not just eat whenever and whatever I can find. Due to my class and work schedules, I got into weird eating habits when away at my apartment. I also did not cook many meals. Mainly because I am such a picky eater and do not have as much time to cook as I want. I did have a few meals that I could cook for myself at college and it was weird not having them when I came back home. So, I started finding ways that I can try and cook them again. The biggest hit is a mashed potato bowl. That was a prime meal that my friends and I had when we were back in school. Of course, I had to bring it back home and try it out with my family. Let me tell you, it was a huge hit. Finding small things like that make the transition of being away from my apartment easier. Being able to make meals that I would have at the apartment is something fun and easy to do with my family. I have more meals that I want to try out but have not had the chance to do so yet. I have a couple of months to do so. So, I am not that worried.
Movie Nights
At both my mom's and dad's we have movie nights every once in a while. It is as basic as they come. Someone puts on a movie and everyone else comes to watch. Even though it is that simple, it is still a fun way to spend time together. At my mom's we ended up watching all the Jurassic World/Parks one weekend and that was a blast. Our next marathon is going to be Marvel, and I cannot wait. Typically at my dad's, the movies are stand-alone and just something that either my dad or step-mom really wants to see. So, we all end up watching together and just enjoy each other's company. Those small yet fun memories are what I love to continue doing with them.
Game Nights
This is very similar to movie nights, so I will not say much. But these typically happen out of the blue when someone is bored. My dad is the one who usually starts them. He will yell up the stairs to my siblings, and downstairs to me, "Hey! We are going to play golf if you want to join!" Then within a few minutes, everyone is in the dining room and we are starting a card game. The card games vary from night-to-night. But, they are always full of laughter and short memories that can lead to teasing down the line if you do something weird enough. They are another thing that comes from being home with my family.
Closing Thoughts
Abruptly being moved home was a big adjustment. I am still adjusting every once in a while. But it has been a good one of growth. Although I do miss all my friends and the memories we have made, I am making memories here with my family. So, if you are home with your family, go find something to do with them. Make some memories and have fun!
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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