The initial feeling of confidence when you decide time off school is worth whatever BS you will have to encounter at home.
When your peaceful time at home turns into “make the house look nice for your family” time
When you bump into an old enemy in your hometown
When you hear your name being called halfway into a good episode
Showing up to the family dinners looking sickening
When your siblings start to show off their “achievements” at the dinner table
When the family member you hate finally exits the house
Ten minutes through Christmas dinner
Realizing you’re single as hell and won’t be looking forward to any Christmas cuddles
When your siblings start telling lies to your family and you know it
Running into that one family member you barely see but really like
When someone else in your family starts showboating and you know you don’t even hold a candle
Wandering into a store way out of your price range and the cashier telling you your grand total
“Where should we go for Christmas holidays?”
“How about just a road trip to Niagara Falls”
“Your Laurier invoice is due January 3rd… Where are you going to come up with that money?”
When you get a slamming new Christmas present you can’t wait to try on
When someone asks what your major is after you’ve told them ten times
“So what exactly is Communication Studies?”
“Congrats… You’re doing so much in university.”
“Nobody knew what Laurier was until the scandal in the news… Must be tough going somewhere nobody knows about” – Ignorant family member
When a family member goes on a rant saying nobody gets a job with a Bachelor of Arts
Inner dialogue before arriving at a family Christmas party
When you try and sit at the head of the table and somebody says “no.”
When your family starts getting into a heated debate at the dinner table
When people try to start talking over you at the dinner table
Your inner dialogue when someone in your family makes something that tastes like crap
Watching all of those cheesy Christmas flicks, knowing you’re single as heck
When you start reflecting on all of the bad things you’ve done during the school year when someone asks what you’ve been up to
Initially showing up to the family dinner ready to brag about how well you did this year
Hearing someone brag about their mundane year when you know your year was crazier
Getting ready to pop off with your friends when you finally meet up again
When you see your best friend who lives a million miles away thanks to school
Trying to keep your cool when an oblivious family member says something that grinds your gears
At the end of a long day
Trying to get through the crowds on Boxing Day
When you see a cute boy in your hometown who you’ve never seen before
Pointing someone you don’t like out the door
Low key: when your siblings try and start some beef in front of your family
When someone gives you a whack present
When someone asks you how exams went
Getting ready to impress everyone when you go to a Christmas party
Getting sick of defending your major at the dinner table
Catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror
When you go to meet up with your friends and they bring along someone you don’t like
When a family member starts telling you personal details about their life that you simply do not care about
Being fake and unsuspicious when your family asks about how productive you were during the semester
Seeing some of the ridiculous sweaters people are wearing around Christmas time
Waiting in line for the Boxing Day sales and seeing all of your competition
When your parents invite problematic people over
Coming back from Christmas holidays looking like a snack and a half
When your friends start bragging about all of the presents they got and you’re just worried about tuition