‘Tis the season to be jolly and freak out because it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Or Hanukkah. Whichever you celebrate, or don’t, it’s all around the corner and that means schools are beginning to close, work is about to let off for the holiday season (or pick up even more), and all that’s merry and bright is waiting for you at your parent’s house—or is it?
Winter breaks or holiday vacations (if you get one) can be relaxing and rekindling for spending time with those you love and enjoying the amount of time you get to sleep in, eat a ton, and spend a helluva lot of money. For a college student like me who gets six weeks off, it can seem like an amazing amount of time. However, the extended amount of time back home comes with its anxieties and here’s why we all can get to feel this way sometimes:
1. People Think We’re “Oh-So Excited” to Hear About Everybody’s Fantastic Lives.
Catching up with family and friends may be all nice, but once everyone starts hounding you about your successes and jobs and everything you haven’t done in comparison to your cousin Mike who’s become the CEO of a prestigious mattress company, you start to hate it.
2. We Don’t Want to Engage in Family Drama.
Seeing family over the holidays is expected and nothing is like coming home to Mom and Dad’s—just to pick up a fight that left off three years ago after you left and everything was fine when there was a distance between all of you. Sometimes being really close for a long period of time just doesn’t cut it, especially with siblings.
3. It Gets Boring.
Sleeping in until noon never felt so good. Until you start to feel the drainage of sitting around all day and doing nothing. Yes, it’s a nice and relaxing break, but if you’re anyone like me who wants things to do, it gets a little too comfy and you start to feel like you need to be productive anyway. Go help some people while you have the time!
4. Mom Takes Away Our Freedom.
Seeing Mom over the holidays warms our hearts and hers, but sometimes coming back home means you’re responsible to help out while you’re under her roof. Laundry, dish washing, walking the dog, and cleaning up after yourself are some things you may sulk about, but she loves you nonetheless.
5. Traveling is Hectic and Chaotic.
I don’t know anyone who really enjoys traveling over the holidays. Whether you’re coming home from college, going to someone’s house for the season, or making a quick trip, it can be a drag. Traffic, delays, and everything we hate about travel seems to intensify during the holidays and this is when patience and tolerance are needed the most.
6. We See People We Don’t Want to See.
So, you’re going grocery shopping with your Mom and you happen to run into a long lost high school frenemy that you definitely don’t ever want to cross paths with, but here you are talking about everything you’ve done since you graduated high school and can’t seem to get your mom to the checkout lane fast enough. Hey, reunions are nice aye?
7. Motivation Levels are an All-Time Low.
Either work dies down or picks up even more during the holiday season. Whether you work or go to school before the holidays is the time to pick up the pace and power through before you can distress and enjoy your time off. It may seem impossible to do anything while you have so much time to do it, but I believe in you and the spirit of Christmas, of course!
8. We Still Have to Work.
So, you’re booked working at Target over Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Day—sounds like bonuses to me! There will be other holidays I guess, sometimes the spirit of Christmas, or any other holiday you celebrate, is all you need to get you through!
9. We Don’t Have a Job.
I guess what may be worse than having a job that makes you work all holiday season, is not having one at all. I mean, how are you going to finance all the presents you have to get your family and friends? I guess the gift of love is all you got this year.