Starting college is generally your debut as an independent adult- or at least the foundations of being independent- so consequentially we get more and more comfortable with being the top dog who makes all the decisions. When summer break rolls around and you don't have any out of town internships or can't afford to have your own apartment off campus just yet, you end up back in the same bedroom that you've probably slept in since you were six. And in your parents minds, you probably still are 6 years old.

You've been away for a year and they've probably missed you, so consequentially they are down your throat with questions about what you've been up to - and are trying to reassert their authority over your every action. Not to mention the chaos of living with all the other people in your family, making the house a primitive jungle where every task becomes a testament to "survival of the fittest."

While living with your parents this summer you'll probably run into at least one of these situations:

1. Becky, What are You Going to Do With Your Life?

Whether you just finished your freshman year or you just got your degree, everyone seems to expect you to have a plan. Especially your parents. Chances are they will also be asking about your grades, which you may not really feel comfortable sharing with them. They have your best interest at heart, but this tends to bring unnecessary stress on you and can cause strife.

Here's what you can do about it:

Although you don't have to have your whole life planned out, having at least an idea of what your next steps are going to be should satisfy their thirst for information. Showing them that you are actively working on a career path reassures them that you have things under control. As far as your grades go, be honest with them. Even if you aren't comfortable telling them your exact letter grades, let them know whether or not you passed and if you had any troubles with your classes. They're asking because they want to see you succeed.

2. Do I Have to Go?

If there's one thing parents love doing, its dragging their kids to shitty events that they don't want to go to themselves. Maybe its a family reunion, a community potluck dinner, or an evening with your parents' best friends and their kids whom you haven't spoken to in 5 years- no matter what, its going to be awkward. When you were a kid, you were sort of blissfully ignorant to the fact that you knew virtually no one in the room or your Uncle becoming dangerously intoxicated during a game of horseshoes. But each year older you got, the more you realized how genuinely screwed up some of these events were and that you definitely had something better to be doing.

Here's what you can do about it:

Compromise is the name of the game with this one. You could pull the "I don't have to go anywhere because this is a free country card", but they are putting a roof over your head and food in your mouth (at not cost for many of you). Choose your battles; agree to go to important events like family birthdays, etc., but maybe point out that you just saw The Jones family during dinner last week, so you'd like to stay home tonight. Additionally, if you have friends that live in the area, they can help provide you with an alibi to escape early or miss some of those less important events all together.

3. Before the Clock Strikes 12

Ah, the dreaded curfew- isn't this something reserved for teen romantic comedies? DEFINITELY not something for a fully grown "adult". So what if I want to hang out with my friends until 2 AM? It's a free country, isn't it?

Here's what you can do about it:

First off, start by putting yourself in their shoes: your parents will have probably retreated to bed long before you're done chilling with your bros. Chances are they have work or some other obligation to be up for the next day and they want you to be home at a decent hour because 1) you arriving home in the middle of the night will probably wake them up and 2) college kids do stupid things, especially when they are with friends, so your parents will rest easier knowing that you're safe. In order to get around this slight inconvenience of your freedom, you could try to modify your plans so that you can see your friends earlier in the day, or if you really want to stay out late, plan on crashing at one of your buddy's houses. This way you are respecting their rights to a full night's sleep, but still getting to have your fun.

4. Help I've Become Nocturnal

All of those late night cram sessions, movie marathons, and midnight taco bell runs are finally executing their sweet (or not sweet in your case) sweet vengeance. Your parents always seem to expect you to be up at 9 AM with a cheery smile on your face, ready to go on a hike, or lift furniture or something else completely insane. Meanwhile, you're lucky if you can keep your eyes open for more than a millisecond before 1 PM because you couldn't fall asleep until at least three in the morning and were trying lull yourself to sleep by reading the entire wikipedia page about conspiracies regarding the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Here's what you can do about it:

Be honest with them, your sleep schedule is royally screwed up at the moment due to your college lifestyle, and they should give you a grace period to adjust. But, that being said, you also have to actively work on trying to sleep like a normal human. Its going to be painful and tedious, but its really worth it in the end- sleeping on a regular schedule for ~8 hours every night allows your body to recuperate, prevents illness, fights depression and anxiety, and promotes higher brain functions. Its a pretty sweet deal honestly, I mean, who doesn't love sleep anyways? In order to fix your sleep schedule, you'll have to be dedicated to rising earlier, but without falling victim to the temptation of napping. This way, when evening time rolls around, you'll be ready for a good night's sleep. Also, avoid sugary or caffeinated drinks past the hour of about 2 PM; exercise also helps promote consistent restful sleep.

5. Transportation Troubles

As a broke college student, chances are you don't own a car. I mean, hell, you may not even have your license yet; who has time for that when you can just take the bus? When you were on campus, everyone and everything was just a short walk away- or you could take the campus shuttle. Either way, you've had the freedom of going wherever you like whenever you please for a while now. Now suddenly,(unless you live in an urban area with good public transportation or are one of the lucky few to have a car of your own), you're dependent on your parents or friends with cars to tote you around.

Here's what you can do about it:

Having to ask for rides can sometimes be frustrating for both parties, no one likes having to ask, and most people, including your parents, have something better to do than drive other people around (unless they work for uber). To make it a bit less painful, try to plan your rides in advance- this way you are less likely to inconvenience your driver, who will have set that time aside in advance (this same rule applies to borrowing a vehicle). Additionally, try to ask someone who is already headed in the same direction to pick you up, this ups the convenience factor ten fold. If you have multiple people who can drive you, take turns asking them for rides instead of just wearing out your one friend for rides three times a week. As extra incentive, you can always reward your chauffeurs with money or snacks- a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies can go a long way. ;)

6. What Do You Mean They Can't Stay in My Room?!

Statistically speaking, ~60% of college students reported being sexually active at some time in their college (according to one study). That means chances are, if you are livingat home, your parents may have to come face to face with the fact that you are indeed an adult human being. This applies especially if you have a partner who may wish to come visit you over the summer. You may think, "I don't get what the big deal is. We slept in the same bed the whole school year, and we are perfectly capable of sleeping together without copulating!". Your mother probably begs to differ.

Here's what you can do about it:

For more liberal parents, often times having a conversation with them explaining that you are practicing safe sex and you know how to be responsible can prove to be a sufficient negotiating strategy. For those whose parents still fiercely believe that you are an innocent precious sunflower, you may just have to bide your time a few more years. It is their house after all, so their word goes. Just take comfort in the fact that this is only temporary.

7. Cash Flow

You've worked hard all year at your studies, spending countless hours pouring over your textbooks, making flashcards out of whatever scraps you can find in your dorm, and organizing group presentations with group members who refuse to do anything. School is exhausting and is a full time job unto itself for sure. So you arrive home for summer vacation, and you are looking forward to having some time to just relax and recuperate. *KNOCK KNOCK* It's your parents! "I know this nice place downtown that's hiring seasonal work for the summer!" "I bet you could get an internship at _____. That would look great on your resume!" "Have you thought about getting a second job actually?"

Here's what you can do about it:

Actually, what you need to recognize here, is that your parents are probably right. If you're lucky enough to be one of only 30% of students who don't have to work a job on the side while trying to get your degree, it may be time that you got a job anyways and taste reality a bit. Having job experience before you graduate college is important for resume building and it never hurt to put a little cash in your pocket. Internships are also excellent resume builders if you can get your hands on one- but unfortunately are often unpaid. Summer jobs are most often working retail or food service, which is grueling work but teaches you a new respect for those who do this type of work full time. Plus, isn't it better to do something productive and get out rather than spending your whole summer bingeing all 10 seasons of Friends in the darkness of your room?

8. Cinderella Syndrome

Me: *Steps through the doorway with suitcase in hand still* Hi Mom,I'm home!

Mom: Oh good! Can you empty the dishwasher, reorganize the basement, wash the dog, carry this mattress upstairs, mow the lawn, and construct a life size model of the leaning tower of piza? I need all of this done by 5 PM tomorrow.

Me: *looks into the camera* would you like the tower leaning to the left or the right?

Here's what you can do about it:

Your parents have missed having an extra set of hands to help take care of the house, consequentially they're a bit relieved when they can look to you to do some of the chores. The task list though can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you have a job or internship for the summer- this really limits your number of free daylight hours. Try asking your parents to assign specific tasks that you are responsible for taking care of like taking out the trash or washing the dishes. Tasks like this are often not even something that needs to be done everyday, in this way your parents feel like you're contributing, but you're not losing your mind trying to clean the whole house. Just make sure you actually do the chores you've agreed to be responsible for.

9. Sharing is Caring

Although you probably have been living with a roommate most of the year, you've really grown accustomed to having your own space. This is my bed. My desk. My closet. And I will keep it how I please and no one is to use my things. But, if you have siblings or other relatives you must share space with, coming home can be the most horrifyingly frustrating time of your life. Maybe you share a room with your pack rat little sister or you just have to share the tv with your brother who is glued to his new Xbox One, you have to relearn how to share with your family.

Here's what you can do about it:

Clear communication is the true solution to these issues. Although chances are you'll still have disagreements over whose turn it is to use the pool when you have friends over or who this bag of chips belongs to- being upfront about your plans and boundaries helps alleviate this. If you have snacks that you really want to have for yourself, put your name on it, keep it some place out of sight, and maybe let others in the house know that it is yours and you'd really like it if they didn't eat half of it before you get to have any at all. With shared spaces/objects like showers, TVs, computers, or cars, make sure you tell the other person(s) in advance when you are planning to use it and encourage them to do the same in return.

10. Lone Wolf

Similarly to sharing space, although you've had friends which you hung out with occasionally, you have had no obligation to share your time with anyone you didn't want to. Upon arriving home, suddenly everyone is in your face all the time wanting to talk, play games, go places, and just generally be constantly present. You've become a ticking time bomb just waiting until you've had just a bit too much of hearing Dad tell that stupid joke for the 20th time that even isn't that funny. You sit at dinner pondering if this will be the night that you actually flip the table and send your mother's roast chicken flying. The end is nigh.

Here's what you can do about it:

Schedule out time for yourself each day, whether that's a few hours right before bed each evening to read a book, or a quiet sunbathing session in the afternoon, find a daily dose of "me time". People generally recognize that activities like these are the kind which one does by themselves; if this is still unclear, gently ask the pesky family member in question to please leave you be and suggest that you will do an alternative activity together with them later. Additionally, doing things like watching movies with your family is generally pretty low impact as everyone will be (hopefully) silent during the film. This way you can spend time with your family, but not be overwhelmed.

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All in all, although families can be trying and frustrating at times, they love you and are probably really excited to have you home again. Remember, these are all minor inconveniences in the long run, and you are incredibly lucky to have a family that is willing and capable of housing and feeding you. Savor this last taste of home before you strike it out on your own in a few years- I guarantee you'll miss it when its gone.