For those returning home during the winter holidays, there are more preparations to make than just throwing all of the dirty clothes in a suitcase. Whether you are returning home from your first semester or your seventh, there are several important things to keep in mind.
1. Remember that the toilet paper at home is not 1/4-ply like in the dorms, so resist the urge to pull off a three-foot sheet.
2. Turn off your alarm clock!
3. If you haven’t already killed a goldfish, winter break is just daring you to become a murderer…so please, just take it home or leave it with a St. Louis friend.
4. A curfew will probably still be in effect when you return home. Consider asking the parents for a later time, but don’t be surprised when they come into your room at 10 p.m. and ask why you’re still awake.
5. Take advantage of the fact that you can drive. And that there is food in the fridge. And that both things are free.
6. When you unplug things in your dorm room, DO NOT unplug your refrigerator.
7. Don’t be afraid to request your favorite foods when you get home. Cooking for you is not a parent’s burden, it is a pleasure.
8. You might be having a TV for the first time in four months, but your family might not be willing to give it up so easily. Consider the dilemma of your father’s favorite news program versus “Gossip Girl.” Can you guess the winner?
9. Prepare for the reinstatement of dinner time.
10. Winter break might be a time for some of you to sleep in, but your family isn’t guaranteed to agree. You will be bothered about waking up past 10 a.m., so just find a way to deal.