(Almost) Home for the Holidays

I bought my one-way ticket from Boston to San Francisco in late August, knowing that I wouldn’t be back until early December. Only three and a half months – that’s nothing, right? Wrong. I had no idea just how long three and a half months would feel like when I’m in a new city far away from home. I missed everything I took for granted. I missed home-cooked meals and free laundry. I missed not having a bunkbed and not having to share a bathroom. After watching my roommates and friends go home for fall break, and then for Thanksgiving, I’m beyond ready to return to the East Coast (at least for a little bit). No matter how excited we are to get out of our hometown and experience something new, going back is always special – it’s familiar, it’s comforting, it’s home. There’s a few things that I’m especially looking forward to – what’s your favorite part about coming home? Leave a comment below! 

Home Cooked Meals

I was done with cafeteria food the second week of school. At first I didn’t think it was too bad – I was actually kind of impressed. Sustainable? Check. Sushi? Nice! Tasty? Well, sort of. But I quickly realized that cafeteria food never changes, and being a vegetarian, my options are even more limited. Eating the same thing everyday, no matter how good the food is, gets boring after awhile. I miss my mom’s Italian cooking and my dad’s gourmet breakfast foods. My mouth is watering just now thinking about a home cooked meal! My countdown to going home went from “two months till I’m home!” to “two months till I get a home cooked meal!” Also, Kate Hudson eating that cheeseburger in How to Lose A guy in 10 Days perfectly describes me going home eating home cooked food. #Blessed 

Holiday Desserts

Holiday desserts definitely deserve their own section, apart from the other homemade food we all look forward to. One of the best things about the holiday season is the excuse to eat exclusively desserts (as if I don’t do that already…). Everything is peppermint and chocolate, and I’m definitely not complaining. I recently discovered peppermint marshmallows and my world is seriously changed. My dad takes baking very seriously (which is great because I take eating desserts very seriously), and the holiday season is really his time to shine. The house always smells like dessert — from the beginning of December, he is constantly experimenting with peppermint and chocolate, cookies, cakes and so much more. I genuinely look forward to gaining 10 pounds every holiday season. #HolidayDietingDoneRight

Sleep

I’ve been in a constant state of exhaustion ever since the first day of school. The amount of work is overwhelming: the whole day is taken up by school, clubs and other things we get involved in on campus. I think it’s important to still have time to do your own thing – for me, that might be Netflix, or knitting or reading. I like to set aside time so that school isn’t the only thing I feel like I’m doing, but most of the time, that means sacrificing sleep. By the end of the semester, it seems like everyone’s response to “Hey, how are you?” has become “I’m tired.” We seriously need this winter break. The amount of sleep we get per night has tragically decreased since first arriving to school, and my lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me. I can;t wait to sleep in a real bed! 

No schoolwork

Wait, we get a whole month when we don’t have to worry about school? No essays, no papers, no readings? Is this legit? School has consumed our lives these past three months, and I am mentally exhausted. What was life like before all our professors decided to pile on all this work? Couldn’t tell ya, but it sounds nice. During fall break and even Thanksgiving break, we still had work to do. Winter break is our first real break from schoolwork! 

Friend/Family Reunions

I saved the best for last. Part of wanting to go home is the familiarity and the comfort it brings, and most of that (at least for me), is because of the people I love who are at home. For many of us, our first semester of college is the longest time we have gone without seeing our family and friends from home. And it’s hard! My texts to my best friend have gone from “ONE MORE MONTH!!” to “TWO WEEKS TILL I GET TO SEE YOUR FACE” to ‘AHHH ONE AND HALF WEEKS HURRRRRY UP!!!!” I got my work schedule for my retail job back home and immediately thought “this means I’m going home soon!” I have never been so excited to see the tragic holiday hours that I’ll be working. To say I am excited to see friends and family is an understatement. *Cue tearful reunions*

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