So it gets to 8 weeks into Term 2 and you haven’t left the world that is the Exeter bubble since you came back after Christmas. You’re missing your home comforts, you’re getting annoyed with your housemates for the littlest things and your to do list is longer than an A4 page… Maybe time for a bit of time out?
How many times is it acceptable to go home while at University? We all know how much fun it is being here and having no real cares or responsibilities, apart from the obvious work, essays and deadlines. But other than that, we pay our bills, fill out our BART sheets and have a good time. But sometimes we let stress and routine get the better of us and we find ourselves scouring the library for plug sockets just a little too often for our liking. There’s no crime in spending a small fortune on nationalrail.co.uk and popping home for a (long) weekend to get away from the I-have-so-much-work-on-at-the-moment’s and What-time-are-you-getting-to-the-library’s. Home cooked food and a parents’ hug are a recipe for well-being, and it’ll make you come back to Exeter feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
For those with boyfriends at home, there’s a good chance you go home more often than the average student would. This costs time, money and emotions, but is worth it to maintain your relationship with your home boy. On the other side of the coin, there are the international students that come from all over the world, and if they want to pop home for the weekend it’ll take more than a couple of hours and probably a couple of hundred pounds and a trip to Gatwick. Those of us living within 5 hours away, give or take, are the lucky ones and can justify a trip home for a weekend, or if your timetable has been kind to you, a longer weekend. Don’t restrict yourself to your Exeter desk, getting bogged down and thus not enjoying the fun, sociable side of Exeter. That’s not what University is about. Yes there will be weeks where you don’t make it out due to important deadlines that you just have to prioritise, but that won’t be every week, and you have to make time for the party animal inside you at some point.
Failing that, I find that a trip home is the perfect way to re-evaluate everything, go to bed at 9pm, and not drink alcohol for 48 hours. Oh and obviously eat your body weight in yummy home cooked food! Go for dog/family walks, see your friends that are still at home, spend time with siblings and slob on the sofa with hot chocolate with all the lamps on (free electricity!), getting cosy and relaxed when you would otherwise be pre drinking on Co-Op wine, or at your desk with your head in a book.
So there it is, a HCX-worthy reasoned justification for taking a trip back to your roots, and a reassurance that you’re not alone when you think things are getting just too much. It’s about realising this and doing something about it a couple of times a term. Exeter St Davids awaits you!
Photo credits –
http://stunningsouls.tumblr.com/