Expectations:
1. Spend the train/bus/plane/horse/donkey etc. ride home thinking about all of the fun things that you’ll be able to do.
“Wow it’s so great that I leave near (insert city). I’m going to take the train in like at least three times”
2. Frantically text all of your friends from high school once you realize that most of them are going to be home for the week too.
You: “AH I MISS YOU SO MUCH. I CAN’T WAIT TO HANG OUT LIKE EVERYDAY:”
Friend: “OMG ME TOO. I’M SO EXCITED. GOOD THING WE’RE NEIGHBORS.”
3. Once you’re home you make an extensive and very detailed to do list of all the class assignments you want to finish.
“Sorry mom and dad, my schedule is looking pretty tight. I’ll try to squeeze you in for lunch one day, sorry! By the way thanks for paying for my education and everything.”
4. Tell yourself that you’re going to wake up before noon to go to the gym, yoga, or Pilates at least three times this week.
“If I sacrificed packing my fifth pair of ballet flats to bring these sneakers then I need to make it worth it.”
Reality:
1. Spend the first five minutes of the trip home thinking about the fun things that you’ll be able to do and then wake up three hours later to find that you accidentally fell asleep on the shoulder of the person who just sat next to you. You’re forced to brush it off since you can’t run away.
“Wow it’s already time to leave? I slept surprisingly well… I wonder why I don’t have any neck cramps. *turns head* Oh…”
2. Continue to text your friends from high school throughout the week only to end up seeing them once on Saturday night (the day before you leave for school)
You and friends: “If we all take a nap at the same time it’s practically like we’re hanging out anyway.”
3. You admire the efforts you made to be productive as you blankly stare at your color coded list of tasks that now seem like they were thought of by the devil.
“Who in their right mind has the willpower or desire to do any of this?”
4. You manage to do one thing on your list and wake up before 11 am and get ready to leave for the gym and with a sufficient amount of time to get there to find a decent parking spot. Fast forward to one hour later and you’re still home.
“I just ate breakfast so I have to make sure that I have enough time to digest before working out. There’s obviously no way I’ll make it in time.”
Hey, at least you tried?