College is synonymous with independence and freedom, not chores and arguments with your mother.
For all the collegiettes out there who feel my pain, it is only the third week of the semester and the drawbacks of living at home are becoming apparent. I can never find a quiet place to study because the television can always be heard in the background; along with my mom’s distinct voice carrying a conversation on the phone. Many of my attempts at being productive at home end in failure. As a result, my mind tends to wander. Instead of reading a chapter for my humanities course, I find myself scrolling through my phone. When I lose focus, I decide to take a break which usually coincides with dinnertime. This is the precise moment when I get stuck with doing the dishes.
There are two ways to make your living situation smoother. Treat the campus like it’s your home and set up boundaries. During my breaks between classes, I use my time wisely. You can find me on the second or third floor of any building on campus with my textbooks; reading, taking notes, making flashcards, and occasionally people watching. Taking breaks actually maintains focus. Who knew?
I also recommend dedicating a space at home for yourself. This room should be where you have all your textbooks and school work. Let everyone know that once you are in this room, you should not be disturbed unless it is an emergency.
Finally, the most important way to deal with living at home is to think about alternative scenarios and compare it to your current living arrangements. I have never been one to dwell on the negatives. Even though the majority of us are enjoying the perks of this new chapter in our lives, living at home and being around family still feels the same. The same things that bothered you while you were a high school student four months ago still bother you now. Remember when I alluded to arguments with my mother? She is probably the only person I get into fights with. Otherwise, I ignore confrontation at all costs. Therefore, dealing with a bad roommate would be a disaster. Does that sound dramatic? Every roommate is a bad roommate unless she has similar OCD tendencies that I have.
My mom isn’t as bad as I make her out to be when I vent my frustrations to my friends, in fact she is hilarious! Her favorite song is Blurred Lines and she likes to dance in the car when it comes on to annoy me. On a more serious note, I am fortunate enough to have a roommate who feeds me, does my laundry, and supports me unconditionally. How do you know she didn’t make me write about her redeeming qualities? You don’t.
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