Once again, a conversation with my roommate sparked inspiration for this week's topic, as we have been decorating our room and door for Christmas, enjoying ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas (first year with it for me!), and figuring out how to heat water in our Keurig for hot cocoa (balling on a budget, those K-cups get expensive). The Christmas spirit has quite honestly been in full gear this year. I can't necessarily find one word to describe this feeling, but being on a college campus has created a feeling of the Christmas season nearly everywhere. The sense of community felt at school, especially Xavier, has been at a new level, and I have a feeling an appreciation for the holiday season has had an influence on it.

The campus is decked out in Christmas lights, wreaths, and trees, not to mention the seasonal winter drinks on our campus's coffeehouse menu. Dorm rooms are covered in Christmas lights, trees, both real and fake, not to mention the door decorating contests that have seem to take over the hall next door. The motivation for these seemingly stressful weeks with exams is the blatant excitement for winter break. But, to most, all of this must seem normal for the Christmas season. Why is it now that my roommate and I have felt a new appreciation for the holiday?

I think that college has become a new sense of home, and ultimately, it only adds to the feelings of comfort and homeyness seeing everything in the Christmas spirit. Additionally, it's our first experience celebrating Christmas and making our own traditions away from home. It makes it fun to do Christmasy things in a new way, especially when it's decking our walls with glitter Santas and having Christmas music on nearly 24 hours a day. And exams don't seem so dreadful when you're drinking some sort of peppermint coffee and a Christmas movie is waiting to be watched when you finish studying.

In all seriousness, I have developed such an appreciation for the holiday season while being away from home. I love every moment spent with my family and the traditions we've kept while I was growing up at home, but, I am grateful for my community while being away at school and thankful that we are fortunate enough to celebrate the holiday season like the campus does. It has been an absolutely incredible Christmas season, and I feel filled with joy because of the love and happiness I've seen while being at school.

Happy Holidays to all. Enjoy a lovely Christmas season!