Don’t be fooled by the weather’s uncertainty: Spring break is here, and for many, this means heading home to the ‘rents. Now that you’ve had at least a year of living independently — yes, living in dorms counts as living alone — it might be hard to readjust to the family life. Here are our tips to get along with mom, dad and those pesky siblings.
Respect your parents’ boundaries. You’re probably used to being surrounded by your pals 24/7, but remember, generally, your parents are not your best friends. Don’t ask your parents to play beer pong. They won’t be staying up until 4 a.m. playing Halo with you. And for the love of God, don’t swap hook-up stories with them. They are still authority figures in your life. Try to remember that this isn’t easy for them either, and they might have a hard time letting you be a sort-of grown-up.
Remember your little brother is not your frat brother … he probably can’t support your weight if you’re trying to do a keg stand. Chances are younger siblings will be pretty annoying and want to be your best friend. Take advantage of this and have them do your 10-weeks of dirty laundry. Enjoy the time you have with them, because eventually it may be scarce.
It’s not high school, so don’t feel obligated to hang out with your old friends. People change, and knowing someone since you co-potty trained doesn’t mean you’ll be having the same co-ed experience. People change, you’ll drift. If you’re not feeling it, don’t force it; sooner or later you’ll figure out who it’s worth keeping around. Get some alone time in, because returning to the dorms means going back to the perpetual sleepover.
Pack on the pounds! You’re probably not going to be making your own food while you’re at home, so relish this moment for gluttony. There’s no Sodexo meals, no cooking for yourself, so shove your face with your favorite family dishes! There’s always FitSpace when you get back.
Partying will be different. Don’t expect the Rat or Tom and Marty’s, or any good bar unless you live in a major metropolitan area. Here’s a newsflash: The kids you hated in high school, the teachers you loved to hate and even your friends’ parents go out and like to have fun. Be warned, you’ll probably run into a few of them. And don’t pee on the side of your house, it’s not your frat.
Hooking up will be awkward. Again, unless you’re from a metropolis, you’re probably going home to the same boring high school people you already know and have hooked up with. Or worse, you’re going home to new gross townies who feed on the naivety of college students. You know those rumors about that girl who came home from college and blew that guy who lives at the motel? Do you really want that story to be about you?