If there's one thing we look forward to for the entire first semester, it's going home for winter break. That is, until we realize that all of the places we used to hang out at are now full of middle school kids and the bars in our towns are like unwanted high school reunions.
It's winter break, so bring on the boredom, the overeating in your mom's kitchen and the incessant questions from family members about why you're single! Here's our take on the stages of being home for the holidays.
1. Finals are over, and you have never been more ready to go home.
2. You and your high school friends are already coordinating your first hangout for when you’re all back in town.
3. Best of all, you’re dying for your mom’s home-cooked meals.
4. You and your friends go out to the local bars that you were never old enough to get into until now…
5. …and happen to run into that annoying girl from high school, that boy who could never fully understand the concept of being friend-zoned, your old babysitter and your parents’ friends.
6. Then you try hanging out at the mall or catching a movie…
7. …but somehow everywhere you go is flooded with middle school and high school kids.
8. Public places are now a no-go. It’s okay, though, because winter break is also for relaxing, right?
9. You have nothing to do! You’re pretty sure that if you lay in your bed watching Netflix for 48 hours straight, no one would notice or care.
10. In fact, that might be all you can do, seeing as you and your friends are already bored of everything there is to do in your town.
11. Eventually the holiday high sets in, and you have a large to-do list that includes gift shopping and watching Elf at least three times.
12. As fun as it is to spend the holidays with your family, you’re aching to celebrate New Year's with your friends and not your kid sister.
13. By January, you’re drowning in boredom and dreaming of when you can go back to school.
14. Of course you love your parents, but you can’t say you’ll miss having to constantly dodge their questions about why you’re not dating anyone or what your GPA was this past semester.
15. By the time the new semester is drawing near, you and your college friends already have a full agenda of plans to make up for lost time.
16. Saying goodbye to you is never easy for your parents…
17. …but, eh, you’ll be back home to wreak havoc under their roof in May!
