Halloween is officially over, yet one spooky thing remains: hometown opps. Coming from a small town where I can name everyone I graduated with, I know a few things about hometown opps. I am also someone who likes to leave everything that happened to me in the past, which is rather hard when your past is around every corner at home.
Every time I go home, I act like a spy. I double-check everything, leaving my house only when the coast is clear, hitting up the local McDonald’s only when I think no one else is, and only getting out of my car at Wawa if I absolutely need gas. When I would go home, I would go out of my way to travel farther for things I needed just to miss that awkward “So, how’s school treating you?” conversation. So, coming from one avoiding person to another, here’s how to deal with these kinds of situations.
Step One: Never give too many details away
In a small town, sharing even one slightly negative thing about your college experience allows everyone and their mother to run a smear campaign against your college life. I always treat it as though college is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and no one could ever fathom how happy I truly find myself here. No one likes to gossip about happy things, so it keeps your name on the down low.
Step Two: Don’t message your exes, of any kind
There is absolutely NO reason to rekindle any past flames, relationship, or friendship-wise. It will just lead to a lot, lot, LOT of regret. There’s a reason they say the past is in the past. Things just look better when they’re at your fingertips, but the second you’re back at school, it’ll become a world of regret for you.
Step Three: Put yourself first
You are home to see the people you care about and the ones you miss the most while you’re at college. Keep this in mind when you’re home and don’t let the idea of seeing hometown opps sway your movements (like I do)! Visit the places you loved in high school, go on a walk on your main street, and spend time cuddled up with your family pets while watching your favorite old TV shows.
And best of all: HAVE FUN! Eats lots and lots of Thanksgiving sweets.