While going home for the holidays may mean long flights and an overstuffed suitcase, it can also mean some really effing great things, too. Here's a list of the 20 things every college student has to look forward to, no matter what holiday they're celebrating.
1. Stocking up on nice s--t before you're living off your own salary
When your mom asks you to email her your wish list, be sure to include items you wouldn't be able to afford yourself, but know you'll get a lot of use out of in the future. Your broke, post-grad self will thank you.
2. Going home and getting drunk with high school friends
It's great to see those few friends you actually care enough about to keep in touch with when you're a continent apart. Plus, it's a major confidence boost when you encounter that one bitch that made your life in high school a living hell and she's still working the same shitty job. Admit it, you love that feeling.
3. Finally being able to comfortably drink around your family
No more feeling awkward with each sip of wine. You're in college now and if your parents know you at all, they know you've had a few drinks in your time. Now is your time to bond with the ‘rents over a few cocktails.
4. Being able to consume alcohol that costs more than $10
If your parents are the "we consume alcohol" type, they likely have a fair amount of beer that does not include the words "light," "ice," or "Bud." Plus, you can step away from the Smirnoff and maybe class things up a bit. Maybe a Makers Mark, neat. If your adjusted palette can handle it.
5. Being in the loop about family drama and watching it unfold
You're finally old enough for your mom to vent to you about your racist Uncle Garth. And your dad's been telling you about Aunt Lynne and her slippery slope towards becoming a hoarder. Grab some popcorn and sit back, because this drama is sure to unfold at family dinner.
6. Catching up on television
Netflix and your family room couch are calling your name. It's finally time to binge watch all those shows you neglected during the school year for that lame responsibility called "graduating."
7. Seeing the family pet after months apart
Winter break means endless hours spent cuddling with your childhood pet, whom you miss more than your biological family members and have 500+ pictures of on your phone. Your social media accounts are exploding from cuteness (although, tbh, you may be the only person enjoying your Snapchat Story).
8. Making your mother do your laundry (which is almost more hassle than it's worth)
You fill a laundry bag with every item possible that is marked "dry clean only" and lug that bag home with you, dumping it on your laundry room floor. Hopefully your mom is compassionate enough to figure out your laundry situation for you and send you home with fresh clothes. Was it worth the hassle to bring it all home? Probably not. But that won't stop you from doing it time and time again.
9. Being done with finals (for now)
Over break, your only required reading is the description on your favorite TV shows and the Tinder messages you've received from local hotties (seriously, Tinder in a new town is like Christmas morning). Enjoy it while you can because a new semester is quickly approaching.
10. Eating home cooked and local food
Au revoir, dining halls! Homemade meatballs and that tiny hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant are calling your name. You choose each meal wisely, trying to maximize the amount of food you can eat that is exclusively available at home and in your hometown.
11. Not having to go to your school's grimy (albeit free) gym
If your parents work out on a consistent basis, they likely have a gym membership that you can bum for the week. Forget those sliding scales (does anyone really know how to use those?) and a humid weight room. Your parents are members at a shiny new gym and (bonus!) you don't know anyone there.
12. Having your car back (and sometimes not having to pay for gas)
If you don't have your car on campus, being reunited with your decrepit Toyota Camry is a far more exciting experience than it realistically should be. And sometimes, when your dad wakes up at the ass-crack of dawn, as he is wont to do, he fills up your gas tank because he is feeling extra generous with you back at home.
13. Taking a break from your friends/roommates.
Sometimes, being around people too much will drive you up a wall… and that is OK. Winter break is the perfect opportunity to give yourself a little reprieve from your passive aggressive roommate or that friend that always leaves you alone at parties. Take some space and come back together with a newfound appreciation for your ~*beautiful*~ friendship.
14. Seeing relatives you otherwise never get to see
Your crazy uncle who sometimes arrives without a front tooth is back in town and he brought all your fun-loving cousins with him. That means family bowling, which sounds lame but is probably more fun than you've had all semester.
15. Naps. So many naps
On the couch. In your childhood bed. In your parents' bed while you and your mom binge-watch Criminal Minds. On the dog bed after cuddling with the pup. In your dad's worn-in leather recliner. The possibilities are endless.
16. Not needing an alarm clock
You'll be woken up by one of four options: a family member gently rubbing your back, your pet licking your face, the smell of breakfast wafting up from the kitchen, or the sun when it becomes too bright at 2 p.m. Either way, there is absolutely no reason to wake up early.
17. Bringing things back to campus that you forgot when moving
Names have been removed to protect the innocent pic.twitter.com/4cwJGJYr5B
? Elizabeth Freda (@e_freda) November 27, 2014You inevitably forgot a few crucial party tops as well as some winter clothing that may actually be crucial to your survival back at school. Coming home for break means not having to pay half a million dollars to ship a winter coat across a few zip codes. Also, going through your drawers in your room is bound to lead to some exciting discoveries.
18. Three words: your own shower
No shower shoes needed. The feeling of clean tile and a not-so-mildewed shower is one you will never forget. It's the little things in life
19. Another three words: your own bathroom
You can go to the bathroom without the awkwardness of someone choosing the stall directly next to yours. You can brush your teeth without awkward eye contact and small talk with a mouthful of toothpaste.
20. When your parents send you home with food
Hopefully at the end of winter break, your mother decides that you're not eating well enough at school and sends you back with enough leftovers to feed a small army. This is especially true if your mother is Italian. Your friends back on campus will love you and your family so much more (that is, if you don't eat it all on the drive back).