It’s the third week of August. For some of us, that means nothing. It just means that next week will be exactly like this week, and the week after that will be the same as the one before it. But for those of us who are headed back to college, this week is critical. Some of us have already gone back, and if we haven’t yet, in the next couple weeks we will.
This is my last week at home and, let me just say, I am relieved. When you are away for more time than you are home, you grow to be a part of the community you spend more time in. When you're at school, you develop routines and become accustomed to what happens on campus, so when you return home, you realize it doesn’t really feel the way it did when you left.
To say that returning home is something you dread is not accurate for most of us, but it’s also not accurate to say you completely belong there anymore. If you're like me, being home makes you realize how much of a life you created for yourself at school. And if you're like me, then you're excited to go back. And I am not here to talk to the people who want to go back. I am here for those of you who don’t.
There are a lot of people out there who would like the summer to go on forever. And, although I am not one of these people, I can see where an endless summer could be desirable. Knowing that people like you summer lovers are out there has given me a reason to provide you with a number of reasons that you should want to come back.
1. The summer has officially wound down, and there is nothing left to do.
You’ve been on vacation, you went to that one concert, you saw all your friends from high school. What else is there to do really? Once you’ve done everything your town has to offer two or more times, you know it’s time to go. The chlorine is ruining your hair and all of your friends are going back to their lives as well, so just go willingly.
2. You are tired of having to ask for things.
In your parents' house, you live by their rules and you eat their food. It’s a bummer to live under someone when you have been your own boss for so long. Going back means regaining that freedom you have been craving since the first time someone told you no when you got home.
3. You secretly miss doing your own laundry.
So maybe not that much, but doing your own laundry gave you a super sense of independence and now that your guardians are doing it for you again, you feel like a child. There are other things in this category, like deciding when to eat on your own and deciding whether or not you need to go to the doctor, that give you this feeling also. You know these are things you miss deep down and it’s a pretty good reason to be ready to go back.
4. You miss campus life.
On college campuses, activities committees put together a great deal of events for you to meet people and make memories. On campus, if you're bored there is always something to do. And if there isn’t, there’s always something to binge watch on Netflix. But usually there is a barbecue or a party that requires your attendance.
5. You really miss your #Squad.
This one says it all. You probably made a lot of friends at school and odds are you haven’t seen much of them this summer. When you go back, you can finally do the things you missed doing with them. You can scout out a place to watch your group TV show. Whether it’s “American Horror Story” or “Pretty Little Liars,” you’re going to need a common space to congregate. Group dinners can commence and you can finally spend time planning your group's Halloween adventures.
There are so many reasons to return to what has become a memory. Sure, last year was tough, but it was also great. It’s time to get back to the books and make this year your best one yet. We have all been in a slump, but slump no more. Your friends miss you and your freedom misses you. So have fun, and take a leap of faith, you never know what you're going to find on the other side.
