When you’re in college you’re always busy. You are constantly rushing to the next class, the next meeting, or the next outing with your friends. All of those things are important and must get done but something is absent from that line-up: family time.
We all know it’s easy to spend time with your family when it’s winter break, or if you go home for fall or spring break but what about the rest of the school year? It turns out, you can absolutely have family time in between rushing off to your next task. You just have to get creative.
First of all, phone calls, texting and Skype are lifesavers. With texting you can do that in between classes (or in class, come on you know you’ve done it!). People are pretty understanding if you don’t get back to them right away, but make sure you DO get back to them. A five minute phone call is super easy to make time for as well. I actually call my grandma in an hour break I have in between classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ll just be in Mack’s Market in the really slow line talking to her while picking out the food I want. I have two hands for a reason! Skype is great for seeing your loved ones. It’s almost as good as seeing them in person. I know it’s easy to get distracted by doing other things while you’re on Skype but try to avoid multitasking. The person on the other end can of course see you and they might feel hurt that you’re not even bothering to give them your full attention.
Second, plane trips and car trips. It’s no secret that plane trips are expensive. I am lucky enough that I live within driving distance from UP so I don’t have to take a plane back home. But if you are able to afford to go home for fall break or spring break, it’s a good chance for you to spend quality one-on-one time with your family. Soak up all the time with them! You might feel like you want some space by yourself while you’re home but remember that you are home for your family. They really do miss you while you’re gone. I myself drove home Saturday to spend the night and my aunt and mom were talking about how nice it is when the kids come home. So, spend some time with high school friends or on your own but try to be with your family for the majority of your visit home.
Family is so important and we don’t realize how much we’ll miss them until we leave. That means we have to take advantage of family time whenever we can. Tell your family you miss them. It will make their day!