Thanksgiving break is approaching quickly! After all the midterm prep and papers you’ve grinded your way through, it is now time to prepare yourself for the slew of questions your family will have. Here are 10 questions (and a few generic answers) I’ve gotten from my family over the past few holiday dinners:
1. How are your grades/classes?
Answer: Classes have been really interesting. College is awesome because you get to explore so many different fields. My grades are good (even if they aren’t… it’s nobody’s business except yours and your parents’) even though some classes have been pretty tough!
2. Have you met anyone/dating yet?
Answer: If you are currently dating someone then respond with a simple “they’re good” and maybe a quick sentence about what they’ve been up to at school. If the answer is no, then respond with an answer like “I’m just really enjoying spending time with my friends right now.”
3. Is it cold there?
Answer: Yes. New England weather is certainly an adjustment if you are not from New England.
4. How’s living in a dorm?
Answer: “It’s perfect for making new friends and finding people to do work with!” Don’t mention to them that you have people making noise outside your door until 3 a.m., or the fact that you may hate your neighbors and the communal bathrooms.
5. Have you made any new friends?
Answer: You can always talk about any people you’ve met through clubs, sororities, or sports teams.
6. What do you do in your free time?
Answer: “When I’m not studying or doing work, I (insert your favorite family-friendly activity here) and try to catch up on sleep.”
7. How’s the food?
Answer: Don’t tell them if you hate the food because suddenly they will become very concerned with your health, but you can always talk about how although dining halls can get repetitive, you can always find something on campus to eat.
8. Do you get enough sleep?
Answer: Not as much as I would like to, but that’s what naps are for, right!?
9. What do you want to do after graduation?
Answer: Unless you know what you’re doing after graduation, a good answer is “I’m looking into a bunch of interesting fields that I could enjoy working in.”
10. Do you like your roommate?
Answer: Don’t complain too much if you and your roommate don’t get along; it will make your family worried. If you are really good friends with your roommate, this question will be easy, but if you are not, just explain that you’re not really similar people and that you tend to do a lot of separate stuff, so you don’t spend much time together.