Readjusting to homelife can be difficult when coming back from the free-range atmosphere that is a college campus. It is so nice doing what I want when I want. Mac and cheese at 2 a.m.? Sure! Going to parties? Of course! (Sorry, mom)! This is all well and good four hours away from home, but when I come back I have to remember the rules of living at home which can be difficult.

I think we can all relate to the whole new vocabulary we get as college students. Let’s just say most of us sound like sailors. Not to say this is a terrible thing, but it is a habit that must be broken when returning to your beloved childhood home. When you’re with friends, words slip out and you don’t even notice until you come and realize after your first infringement that you must now think before you speak, which is probably a good thing to practice anyway.

We also all know about the stories you have on the tip of your tongue but know is going to turn into a lecture. Maybe recounting the time when you held back your friend’s hair isn’t the best family anecdote. Keeping it “PG” is definitely a challenge after a whole year of just living with people your age, but unfortunately, it is what the parents still expect.

Speaking of expectations, yeah, you’re going to have to live up to those for a little while. Your parents expect you to be the same person you were as when you left when in reality, you’ve done a whole year's worth of changing. No matter how much you might want to pull the whole “it's not a phase mom” thing, that’s not the best way to approach your changes in personality. Throw them a bone once in awhile and act like your old self, but then you can slowly slip in the real you. It might be taxing at first, but in my opinion it's better than a lecture.

Coming home is great, don’t get me wrong! But we have gotten so used to living a certain way and molding into your old ways might take a little time, and that’s okay! There’s an art to finding a balance of being respectful, but just independent enough to get your parents to understand that you’ve been living on your own and doing a somewhat good job of it!