The fall/winter holiday season will always be my favorite time of year. The leaves start to turn making for glamourous holiday photoshoots, the weather is breezy and prefect for all of my cute outfits that were closeted by warmth, classes are coming to an end, and best of all, it’s the one time of the year that you are sure to see your favorite cousins who are more like sisters, your aunts and uncles from out of town, and your grandparents who come baring food and gifts. It’s also the time that we college goers get to sit back, relax, do some shopping, and enjoy some free time while on a little break from classes. Along with the gathering of old family and friends who you haven’t seen in a while comes loads of nerve wracking questions about school, your major, and relationships, that you tirelessly try to avoid. And if your family is as big and involved as mine, you know all too well that these questions are bound to come about as you’re filling your plates with goodies or over the family dinner table because why shouldn’t everyone hear all of your personal business while enjoying a good meal?!
The questions go as followed:
“How is school going?” “What are you majoring in now?” “Are you keeping those grades up?” We all know that being a student isn’t easy—it seems as though you are bombarded with a slew of different questions either from professors during lectures, on exams and quizzes, or in lengthy essays, from managers asking you to complete work tasks, and from friends asking favors of you on a consistent basis. During the holidays you want to forget all of that– but leave it to your great Aunt who is a retired professor to open the flood gates and release a rush of school related questions that you are now forced to sit and discuss at length.
“What’s your major, again?” “What kind of job do you expect to get with that degree?” “What’s next?” “You’re almost done with college, what are you going to do after graduation?” Moms seem to have ESP and always tend to pop up right around the time when someone brings up your future after college, and is ready to chime in with her witty remarks. This question gives me so much anxiety because I still have no idea how I am going to manage when the shield of college is lifted and I’m launched into the real world where I am expected to actually *dun, dun, dun* adult!
“How’s your love life?” “Where’s your man?” Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about flattery and love hearing from my older aunts and uncles how pretty I am and how it’s hard to phantom that at 21 I’m still single. And let’s face it, I ask myself this question often because… I’m bomb AF! Seriously though, the thought of being in a committed, loving relationship sounds amazing, but the process is easier said than done. In the age of online dating and hookups, coupled with my lack of a real social life, the opportunity to form a relationship at this point of my life is slim to none. So when it comes to responding to questions about the exploration of a love life it is best to just laugh it off and reassure them you’re still searching for Mr. or Mrs. Right and when you do they will be the first to receive the invite to the wedding.
Obviously, no matter how hard you try it’s inevitable to go into this holiday season thinking that you won’t have to recite a big presentation about school, your future, and relationships in front of your family this year. But it is all worth it and becomes somewhat comedic to see how these conversations flow when you’re spending time with the people you love most and stuffing your face with foods that you resolve to work off after the holiday season is over!