Ah, December. Inside the Orange Bubble, the semester is coming to an end, and the leaves and our GPAs drop; outside of Princeton, the world is preparing for the holiday season. In a couple of days, these hallowed halls will be cleared out, and the only sound heard on campus will be the scurrying of squirrels and the haunting echoes of that mystery pianist in Frist.
In the meantime, the rest of us will all head back to our respective hometowns and get ready to indulge in three weeks of trying-to-forget-that-we-still-have-to-take-our-finals. Naturally, winter break will look different for every person, but for all college students, going back home can mean weeks of cheers, fears and everything in between. Therefore, without further ado, here is a little insider look as to how your winter break will play out. Happy Holidays!
First day: You step out of that plane/train/car and you, good sir or madam, are a superstar. Even though you quite possibly could have seen many of the people back home two weeks ago for Thanksgiving, everyone will still treat your reunion as if you have been apart for years, just because it’s holiday season. You make sure to post a picture that is stereotypical of your hometown on social media. This lets your friends at home know you’re back, and shows your Princeton friends that your hometown strikes the perfect balance of both beautiful and cool.
From your posts, the texts roll in, ranging from “ARE U BACK HOME? AH CANT WAIT TO C U” to “lets hang out soon!” to “mom says you have to come out of your room to help finish decorating the house.” You ignore the final text and settle into your room, taking in the soothing comfort of your own bed (because the one at school will never feel as right). As you doze off, Princeton seems to slip further and further away, because you are ready for the…
1stweek: You spend the majority of this week in a semi-comatose state as you try to regain all the sleep lost to problem sets and papers. You treat your house like a war bunker, with your pajamas as your uniform and your mission (that you have happily chosen to accept) is consuming as many of the snacks and food in your kitchen as possible. Hopefully, you’ve already made a comprehensive list of every show someone has every recommended for you, because now is the time to dedicate yourself to the beautiful art of on-demand streaming.
Besides rekindling your relationship with your Netflix account, you try to reconnect with friends. Behind the fun stories of what has gone down this semester for everyone, you try to figure out which one of your friends’ lives is anywhere near as amazing as they try to make it seem from their Instagram posts. Congratulate yourself for having decided to post that selfie of you at Risky Business as opposed to the selfie you took while watching “Risky Business” with a Wa sandwich alone in your room.
2ndweek: This week is marked by a flurry of activity. You bemoan your mother’s requests for you to leave your room (read: solitary viewing cave) so you can be part of the whirlwind of excitement. Each day is spent moving from store to store and from relative’s house to relative’s house.
Warning: This week will be filled with questions that come fast and plenty from the adults of your life. Brace yourself with a smile as you are deluged with inquiries on how your classes are going, who you are (or are not) dating, why you have miraculously continued to “grow up so big” (you hope this isn’t in reference to the weight you’ve gained) and proceed to disappoint everyone for not having your life outlined for the next 15 years. Talk enthusiastically about how the classes you have semi-regularly attended this semester have really “engaged” and “stimulated you intellectually.” Debate going for shock factor and telling everyone that you are dropping out to “find yourself” but decide it’s not worth it. Find comfort in the fact that this week is probably marked by an overload of festivities that include an assortment of baked goods. Keep reaching for cookies as we move into the…
3rdweek: By this week, the holiday fun has died down, and you start to face the dreaded reality of reading week. You debate over whether you can ask Princeton to let you take all of your classes from home forever. You make some feeble attempts at doing work, but find that it is much easier to check Buzzfeed than it is to check Blackboard. As you muster up those last goodbyes, you realize that although your family and friends can prove to be a crazy bunch, you love them and wouldn’t have wanted your break to go any other way.
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