Home is where the wifi connects automatically and is stronger than the college wifi. Home is where mom and dad's cooking is a hell of a lot better than the dining hall food. And home is where you can finally relax and not street about anything. Coming home, it has been weird and kind of hard adjusting back to living at home with the rules, curfews, and, sometimes, freedom - but don't get me wrong, I love being home.
Stage 1: Too excited to function!!!
You're finally done with finals and you get to come home and you won't have to deal with your roommate! Either way, now you know where the food is actually coming from and you can trust the cooking. Everything is amazing and you don't have to stress about roommate agreements.
Stage 2: Social media over-sharing...
Home seems more exciting and it suddenly feels way more cool than it did a few months before. But now you get to see your bestie and post the billions of pictures that someone probably took of you two running into each others arms. You'll probably post a little update on Twitter or Facebook saying that you're home and explaining how your year went - because everyone is going to want to know that!
Stage 3: The same zen, bliss, and calm of someone who regularly does on-the-beach yoga
Wanna watch six-hours of Grey's Anatomy or Gossip Girl? Go ahead, maybe even wrap up in an old blanket too! Your mom wants to make you your favorite meal? Enjoy that salmon with mashed potatoes and green beans! Your bestie wants to pick you up and go shopping or go to the beach? Live it up and say yes every time! It's okay to live life without responsibilities!
Stage 4: Total and complete comfort
Everything feels just right and all of your stresses of school have been melted away. You've lounged around, you've meet up with friends, you've been living the life.
Stage 5: Oh look and there's that kid who you think you know!
You'll start to see people around time who went to or still go to your high school, and yes, it's been awhile. You're back in the swing of things and it's like nothing has changed...
Stage 5.5: OMG!!!! It's that kid...
Yeah...that kid that you knew and sat next to in your freshman high school English class and could never remember his name, but he friended you on Facebook and likes all your posts and pictures? I would start walking away once you have realized this (maybe even run if need be).
Stage 6: Crippling paranoia
Who else are you going to run into in one single day of drain around from store to store? Is anywhere safe from previous classmates or, even, teachers? It will start to feel like you can't hid from anyone anywhere.
Stage 7: Soul-crushing boredom
As much as you love your dads homemade lasagne and sleeping comfortably in your own bed, you won't be able to deny that ever growing boredom. You don't think that you'll get bored but you'll miss the campus squirrels, the randos you see every day walking to and from class, and your one and only true love - the soft serve machine in the dining hall.
Stage 8: Acceptance
You've gotten to a place where you're back into your usual routine. You definitely miss your school friends and can't wait to see them (maybe you've even got a countdown started) - but you also realize now how much you missed your family and friends at home. But heading back to school will come sooner than you know it and next thing you know you'll repacking everything that you'll been bust unpacking! There is still tons of summer left and you don't want to be wasting it just counting down the days - make the most of your summer!
