Congratulations! You did it. Finals week is over and it’s FINALLY time to head home! There is no doubt that many of you already have a list of things to do as soon as you get home. Are these on your list?
1. Go out to eat at/order from your favorite restaurant.
Whether it’s a local pizzeria or the fanciest place in town, there’s nothing more exciting than getting food from your favorite restaurant. If you’re super eager (or just smart…), you’ll call your parents and tell them to meet you there on your way back home from school, or tell them to order it before you get home and head straight for the dinner table as soon as you walk through the front door.
2. Passing out in bed.
Finals are absolutely exhausting. Traveling is exhausting. After a full semester of work, partying and fun times, getting into your own bed in your own home that isn’t in a dorm room/apartment/off campus house feels like a little piece of heaven. You fall asleep and wake up on a bed of clouds. Every. Single. Day.
3. Get a manicure and a pedicure (and also get your eyebrows done because you’re verging on a unibrow).
This is an absolute must. Getting your nails done literally makes you feel like a whole new person – add a wax to that and you’re ready to see all your high school friends and acquaintances looking absolutely fabulous. Plus, when you’re home, you can take your mom/sibling with you for quality time (added bonus, but also the real reason you’re getting your nails done at home: you don’t have to pay for it).
4. Participating in holiday traditions.
Some houses are decorated as soon as Thanksgiving is over, but for some people, it’s a tradition that happens as soon as you get home. Decorating the house, picking out a tree and making hot chocolate (or mulled wine because you’re sophisticated) is a great way to spend time with your family. The holidays aren’t the holidays without family, so being home around this time is a truly special thing.
5. Sleeping with your dog or cat and never letting them out of your sight.
One of the worst feelings is seeing a cat or dog on campus and thinking about your beloved furry friend back home and missing them half to death. So when you get back home, it’s likely that you don’t let them out of your sight for the majority of the time that you are there. It definitely doesn’t mean you’re crazy – just crazy in love.
6. Seeing old friends.
Whether you have a huge crew back home or just a few close pals, getting back together with old friends is always a great time. It gives you the chance to take a walk down memory lane and remember all the crazy, stupid, hilarious things you did together in high school. Sharing all your new stories with them is also fun!
7. Text all your friends from school and tell them how much you’re dying without them.
Being home is wonderful. It is always a much needed way to refresh. But there is nothing like being at school with all of your best friends, who you basically see every day. Going from that to never seeing them anymore (a month is so long!) can create some severe separation anxiety. After a few days back home, you’re texting all your college friends and making plans to go visit them next week.