December is nearing, classes are finishing, and campus is beginning to empty out as students begin their journey home for Thanksgiving. It is definitely that time of year. I am talking about that time of year when all your family is gathered together, and you are bombarded with question after question as soon as you walk through the door. The worst part is as soon as you are done answering the lengthy list of questions from Uncle Joe, Aunt Sue just so happens to appear asking the same ones. What a coincidence!
I don’t know about you guys, but every time my family has a reunion, I am showered with questions about all aspects of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I adore my caring, loud, Italian, loud, loving, loud family, but sometimes enough questions are enough. I mean, I know I haven’t seen them in months, but I haven’t changed that much. So if your family is somewhat like mine, get ready to avoid the typical questions that Uncle Joe and Aunt Sue may ask.
How’s college?
First question, guaranteed. I am 100% certain that this is the first question that I will be asked. I am even willing to bet my piece of apple pie on this one. I don’t know how much more vague you can go. College is good? A great balance between fun and academics? Filled with amazing new friends? But honestly, when answering this question, who would blatantly say, “college sucks”? Although your relative is asking you a very general question, I am not sure if this is the appropriate place (or if you would even want to) to go into a extensive rant about how much college was not like you were expecting it to me. But I mean, if you want to be in conversation with your relative for the next five hours, go ahead!
What is your major?
Hmmm, I wish I really knew. Being a freshman and in my first semester, I am unsure of what I really want to do with my life in the future. While I have down on paper that I am a psychology major on the pre-med track, I’m not going to say that. I am not going to announce my possible defeat of the pre-medical career. Not because I may want to change my major, but because I need to see if I can pass chem first (just kidding mom and dad…kind of). So my answer will probably be me explaining how I am not completely sure of what I want to focus on and pretend my relative is asking me what classes I am taking as I recite my schedule to them. Well right now I am taking chemistry, math, spanish, and psychology…
How are your classes?
This could be a good opportunity to rant about the difficulty of classes, the workload, the never-ending list of things to do, but I am not sure my distant relative really wants to hear about that. So of course, I am going to sugar coat it. Classes are good. There is a lot of work *laugh* but it’s manageable (lie).
How are your friends? Have you met good ones?
Oh, my friends are good. They are really nice. Meaning, Patricia can finish a whole champagne bottle by herself in less than fifteen minutes, Ryan crawled out of a window so he could leave a party without getting in trouble, and Monica skips class every Friday so she can have a three day weekend. Hmm, now I am actually curious as to how my relative would react if I told them all that. (By the way, I do not have any friends here named Patricia, Ryan, or Monica and I know, that the students here are not that crazy). No sarcasm there at all!
How are your grades?
My grades? Yeah, they are fine. I mean the classes are a lot harder than high school, but I was already expecting that. *lie* Tip: If you want to avoid this one, begin explaining how you just turned in a paper for your English class about so and so and start talking about that topic…
Do you have a boyfriend?
No. I have not had a boyfriend for the past three years that you have asked me this question, so there is a good chance that I do not have one now. No, *nervous laugh* I don’t have time for boys *laugh* I’m really busy with schoolwork and *name of club you are in* and turn the conversation into something about that.
So, while I will be spending a lot of my break sleeping, seeing old friends, doing schoolwork (trying to motivate myself to do schoolwork), and eating as much food as possible, I can guarantee that at some point during my break I will be nervously awaiting the curious relatives and talking about my college experience over and over again.
Sources:
https://33.media.tumblr.com/76b7ad116076fd62455ab82b6b7efa15/tumblr_inline_ndrefdPYCK1sktb77.gif
http://33.media.tumblr.com/9d065387dfb3c97e6068a4026e80b362/tumblr_inline_n59whltQHy1s0u9u5.gif
http://24.media.tumblr.com/7f0812abf6d6231b4a34d7946bfc2ed6/tumblr_mll902Pkpj1so889vo1_250.gif
https://careercenter.umich.edu/files/cc/field/image/Conversations%20Duri…