We all know it’s no fun to check in with our parents every hour, make our beds in the morning, or ask if our boyfriends can spend the night—especially now that we’re big college girls and can play by our own rules. But as my mother always says, when I’m living under her roof, I have to play by her rules. Thanksgiving break is right around the corner, and we want you collegiettes to behave like the good girls your mothers raised, so drop the bad-girl attitude you picked up from your hallmates and enjoy a conflict-free stay at home. Here are 5 easy rules to follow when you visit home sweet home:
1. Help with household chores
Just because you haven’t been home for the past three months doesn’t mean you’re done with your household duties for good. While it’s true that your little brother may have taken over dishwashing duty for a boost in his allowance, he’d be more than happy to give some of the tasks back to you. Now that you’re home, you’re responsible for helping out around the house. I doubt your parents will make you scrub the toilets and dust every corner of every room, but they will probably expect you to help set the table and take your turn letting out the dog. It’s even better if you do these chores without being asked. If you live off campus, put your new cooking and cleaning skills to the test. Your parents will be so impressed!
2. Spend time with your family
What’s the point of going home for the holidays if you are never actually at home? I know a certain someone who spends her breaks with her BFF from college instead of her own family. Hello, she gets to see this friend all the time! If you’re constantly running out the door and only at home to eat your favorite home-cooked meals or sleep in your comfy bed, you’re doing something wrong. Instead, make sure you spend the majority of your break with your loving family. Savor these moments and think back to them next time you’re feeling homesick. We don’t want to say “I told you so…”
3. Ask before having friends over
You can invite over whomever you want, whenever you want, while living on campus (as long as your roomies are okay with it), but you can’t do the same when you return home. Be courteous and respectful and consider how the other members of your family will feel. It may not be the best idea to invite extra people over when you already have a house full of relatives. And make sure people aren’t going in and out of the house at late hours of the night—remember that it’s your house and not a house party; people are trying to sleep.
4. Censor yourself
In college, when you have a tough schedule, virtually no free time, and enough boy problems for the entire female population, it’s easy to fly off the handle and express your anger by swearing and shouting. We’ve all been there, but you should really pardon your French when you go home during break. Monitor the noise and clean up that college mouth of yours before your parents think twice about their decision to let you go to school across the country. When you feel the urge to say WTF or throw a “sh**” into every other sentence, keep your feelings inside and instead think of something nice to say. If you’re having trouble censoring yourself, vent to your bestie on the phone. But whatever you do, don’t be a crazy biotch—no one wants to be friends with this type of girl, not even your family.
5. Be sensible about using the car
You might be dying to take the driver’s seat when you go home for break, but you have to be considerate of the other drivers in your family. There’s nothing worse than opening up the door and seeing an empty garage followed by an empty driveway, especially when you’re already running late. If you share a car with your siblings who also have been car-deprived since the beginning of the school year, take turns using the car. Make a schedule if you have to—it’s like having your own car rental place right at home (which is totally necessary if you want to prevent stranding any family member at home). See if your friends can swing by and pick you up instead of always hogging the family vehicle.
Follow these five rules to guarantee a peaceful stay at home. If you’re more of a rebel than a rule-follower, grin and bear it for the length of break. You can go back to your rule-free college life in no time at all. We have faith in you, collegiettes!
What “rules” do you follow when you return home for break? Let us know in the comments below!