As a lover of all things Christmas, I notice the changes in holiday traditions and other tiny aspects of the holiday season. Being in college for a good part of the Christmas season is obviously going to be different, which is unfortunate when those little parts of the season are what make it so great. There are many cool things that come along with being in college during the holidays, such as spending more time with friends than usual. But it's still a bit sad when traditions change. These differences are not the end of the whole, but they do change the holiday feeling just a little bit.
1. You 're not with your family for a good part of it.Â
GiphyComing from a family that has a TON of family-based holiday traditions, it's definitely weird not being home for some of them. For example, the weekend after Thanksgiving, my dad would play Christmas music really loud to wake the whole family up. While sometimes it does interfere with my sleep, it's always a nice introduction into the fuzzy feeling of the holiday season.
2. When it's freezing outside, you still have to DO STUFF instead of wrapping yourself in blankets and watching a movie.Â
GiphyThis is the WORST! I for one despise the cold and want nothing to do with it, which is funny considering I'm from the Northeast. However, when I go home, at least I can relax and cuddle up in blankets when it's freezing outside. At school, especially during finals season, there's so much to do, and you have to walk in the frigid air to get there! Not a fan.
3. Speaking of the cold, it's absolutely frigid outside, yet there's no snow. Thanks, North Carolina
GiphySeriously, what is with the lack of snow? I understand that it doesn't snow as often down here, but if the temperature is already below freezing, why not just throw some flurries in there? No wonder it doesn't feel like Christmas season yet.
4. "Holiday season" doesn't sound as exciting when it directly overlaps with "FINALS season"
GiphyIt's really not fair that finals happen around this time too. This further limits the ability to actually enjoy the holiday season because everyone is too stressed out about the upcoming papers and projects and tests they have to take. It's a crime against nature.
5. It doesn't smell like Christmas anywhere!
GiphyAnother thing about the South... where are the pine trees? Pine trees are what make the air smell so fantastic when it gets cold out, and it makes me excited for the upcoming holidays. Without them, it just smells like nothingness.
6. Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas aren't a priority anymore
GiphyRemember the good old days when you would finish your dinner and the entire family would watch a Christmas movie together. Yeah, that doesn't happen in college. You can't even do it by yourself with all of the homework you have to get done.
7. Gift exchanges aren't as popular because everyone is on a college student's budget
GiphyThe holidays are also expensive! Everything costs money. My friends in college love each other very much but we're living on college student budgets, meaning that we can't buy presents for everyone. It's the thought that counts though.
8. "Christmas parties" have a different meaning
GiphyA Christmas party in college is way different than a Christmas party at home. Christmas party at home means dressing up fancy, decorating the house extravagantly. and serving hors d'oeuvres to the guests. In college, "Christmas party" means wearing a red crop-top to go out to a frat party where they're playing rap remixes to the best holiday classics. It's still quite an experience, just very different from home.
9. There's not as much time for all of the fun holiday traditions, like decorating your room or baking cookies.Â
GiphyAgain with finals limiting the time for fun holiday activities. Instead of making those fun store-bought holiday sugar cookies and decorating a tiny tree for the living room, I have to study. Not fun.
