Readjusting to Living at Home After College

College is a fun and unique experience for many students. The sense of freedom that comes with leaving home for the first time is incomparable, and most students looked forward to that moment for many years. Then, quite suddenly, you have to return home either for college break or at the end of your college education. Moving back into your parents’ house can be a bit of a shock. Most students will need an adjustment period after returning from college.

College and home are very different. At college, you basically took care of yourself, set your own rules, and had to be responsible for your own actions. When you did some foolish and irresponsible, such as partying all night before an important exam, you generally had to suffer the consequences. However, even after such consequences, you had to decide not to party right before an exam. Outside of classwork and following the relaxed rules of your dorm, no one was enforcing any real rules for you, and they didn’t make demands on your time.

At home, even if you still take care of yourself, the rules are bound to change. It’s not your house, so you don’t get to make all the rules. It’s your parents’ house, and so you have to abide by their rules. And your parents will likely have very definite ideas about what you should and should not do.

Your parents may forget that you’ve been away and living on your own for some time. They might revert to treating you like a child. If this happens, don’t immediately panic. Remember that they are your parents, they love you, and they’re only trying to do what’s best for you. Evaluate the situation, and calmly discuss it with them.

One of the biggest causes of conflict for a student returning home from college is the notion of a curfew. Instead of screaming at your parents about how mature you are, approach the situation calmly. Remind them that you’ve been on your own for months, and you’ve always been responsible enough to come in at a reasonable hour (even if you haven’t been). Try to come to a compromise. Perhaps let them know exactly when you will be in, and if you’re going to be late, remember to call.

If you’re not going to come home at all, your parents should know. They probably don’t need to know all your business, but try not to leave them sitting at home worrying about you and what might have happened. If you’re going out, have the courtesy to let them know when you’ll be back, and especially if you’ll be coming back at all. It’s unbelievably rude to not come home for dinner when they’re expecting you.

When at college, perhaps you had overnight guests. Maybe your roommate didn’t mind, or maybe you didn’t have a roommate. At home, you have more than a roommate, you have parents. Be courteous, and don’t have anyone stay overnight unless your parents give their permission well beforehand. And if you suddenly decide you want to have a party, either clear it with your parents before inviting a single person, or host it somewhere else.

Avoid creating resentment in your own home. You’re not a guest, so don’t act like one. Pick up after yourself, do your own laundry, and don’t expect your parents to cook for you. This doesn’t mean you can’t participate in family meals, but don’t laze around on the couch all day and expect them to look after you. Your mother shouldn’t have to make you lunch every afternoon, especially when she has other things to do. Relieve the burden you might be placing on your parents and look after yourself. Perhaps even offer to help them out as well.

As an adult, it can be difficult to readjust to living with your parents. Talk to them if you have a problem, and let them know that they can talk to you. Stay calm, and remember that you’re trying to be a fully fledged adult, not a child. Act like an adult, and your parents will be more likely to treat you as such.

Christmas Tree Advice for Apartments

Christmas trees are a traditional symbol of the holidays. Many people have visions of a large evergreen, liberally decorated with lights, garland, and festive ornaments. Presents are strewn under the tree, the family is gathered nearby. However, for those with limited space, such as apartment dwellers, this vision can be difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce.

Those with smaller spaces, and especially those who live in apartments, are often concerned with size when it comes to purchasing a Christmas tree, either real or artificial. Fortunately, trees of all kinds now come in a variety of sizes to suit all spaces. Having a Christmas tree is no longer dependent upon having the space for one, since you can purchase a tree small enough to fit on a tabletop.

For those apartment dwellers who still want a full-sized tree, you’ll have to be aware of your space. Choose the location for your tree, and measure. Measure the height of your room. Measure the height of your tree stand and tree topper. Take the height of your room, subtract the tree stand and topper, then subtract a further two inches. This is the maximum height of any tree your space can support.

Measure the circumference of the space you’ve chosen. If there’s only three feet of space, then purchasing a tree that’s four feet wide will only cause frustration. Once you have this measurement, consider how you will get your tree into your apartment. For those with elevators or small stairwells, this may be a major concern. You might have the space for a huge tree in your apartment, but if you can’t get it in, you’ll be disappointed. Again, use your tape measure to make sure.

When you finally go out to purchase your tree, make sure you bring that same tape measure with you. If purchasing a real tree, choose a pine or fir tree. These trees drop their needles with less frequency, which will help with cleanup, and you won’t leave as much of a mess in the hallway when transporting your tree. Measure your tree accurately before purchasing. Do not rely on the sales person’s guess. If you have to, ask the attendants to cut a larger tree down to size for you.

You might prefer an artificial tree, or perhaps your apartment doesn’t allow for real trees. In this case, you’ll still need your tape measure. The measurements on a box are sometimes not quite accurate. Look for stores that have displays, and measure those display trees. And just in case, ask about the return policy. An artificial tree can look just as real, and if you want it to smell real, add a few drops of pine essential oil to a cup of water and gently mist of over the artificial tree. The scent will waft through your apartment and last through the holidays.

When you finally settle on a tree and get it home, decorate it with care and add presents at its base for a more festive atmosphere. Invite your friends and family over to see your new tree, and remember to enjoy the holidays.

Precautions for Artificial Christmas Trees

Christmas brings with it many things. Carolers touring the neighborhood. Cookies baking in every kitchen. And the annual tradition of setting up the Christmas tree. For many families, an artificial tree is the tree of choice.

Everyone wants a beautiful tree that at least appears to be real. But all trees, real and artificial, carry some potential danger, and not all artificial trees are created equal. Before setting up your artificial tree, consider your family, and take the necessary steps to ensure that you and your children can enjoy a safe and happy holiday season.

Safety begins with the purchase of your tree. There are dozens of artificial trees on the market today. They come in all shapes, styles, and sizes, and selecting one can be difficult. Before even considering which tree to purchase, read the box and all specifications carefully. Look for the words ‘fire retardant’ or ‘fire resistant’. If these words do not appear anywhere on the box or on the enclosed leaflet, then the tree is unsafe. Don’t assume that because a tree is for sale that it’s safe.

If you have small children or curious pets, you’ll want to look for a tree that does not contain PVCs. These chemicals, also known as polyvinyl chlorides, can be a source of lead, and children and pets like to chew. Err on the side of caution and purchase a tree that does not contain these dangerous chemicals.

Once you get your tree home, you’ll want to make sure that once set up, it’s stable and safe. Consider securing your tree to the wall so that it does not fall over and harm someone or damage your furniture, especially if you have young children who will be grabbing at the tree, or cats who will insist on climbing it. Your tree can be secured using eye hooks and either galvanized wire or heavy fishing line. These items can be found at your local hardware store. When securing your tree, be sure to avoid any lights or decorations that may already be on your tree.

Artificial trees are made of plastic, no matter how real they look. Plastic can be melted or burned quite easily, so you must take care with the placement of your tree. Do not put your tree near any heat source. This includes radiators, heating vents, wood stoves, ovens, portable heaters, or fireplaces.

No matter how safe you think your tree is, all trees are a fire hazard. Reduce this hazard by carefully checking each and every string of lights for frayed wires or any other signs of wear. If a string of lights looks at all damaged, invest a little money and buy new, preferably LED lights, since they don’t get as hot. It is also important to use lights rated for indoor use. Outdoor lights get too hot and can cause a fire.

When plugging in the lights and other items on your tree, do not overload your electrical sockets, as this could lead to a fire. Be aware of exactly how many light strings you have on one circuit. Check each extension cord to make sure they’re all in good condition, and rated for indoor use. If you have to, reduce the number of lights on your tree.

When adding decorations, consider who will be around your tree. If there will be many children in your home over the holiday season, you might want to forego the breakable ornaments and invest in plastic ones. Children and pets don’t always understand that they shouldn’t touch, so don’t expect them to leave the tree alone. Also make sure the ornaments are free of small pieces that a child could choke on.

By taking these steps to ensure the safety of you and your family, you will be able to enjoy your artificial tree in peace this holiday season.

Deciding Who to Invite to a Holiday Party

Holiday parties can be a great way to relax and have fun with friends and family. However, planning a holiday party can be a little intimidating. Probably the most difficult decision to make when planning a party is the guest list. Who to invite and who not to invite can be stressful. But if you take a moment to consider both your party and its guest list, the process can be made simpler.

Before you can even think of a guest list, you have to know your space. If you intend to host the party in your living room, and you only have room for ten people, then that limits your guest list considerably. If, on the other hand, you’d like to rent a hall for a hundred people, your list of guests expands quite a bit.

The next step is to decide what kind of party you’ll be having. Are you having a sit-down dinner or a buffet, or perhaps cocktails? Is your party primarily for friends, family, colleagues, or a mixture of all three? What kind of entertainment will you be planning? Will you include children in your party?
These questions will all slightly alter your guest list. For example, if the party is primarily for your colleagues, then you might not want to include children, and you probably won’t invite your sister. You can mix your groups, of course, but you have to do this carefully. A party full of family and friends can be wonderful, but don’t invite only one friend in a sea of family members. It will just make everyone uncomfortable. You have to achieve some kind of balance, or limit yourself to only one group.

Children are an important issue when it comes to planning a party. Babies, in particular, require some attention to detail. They may be tiny, but they come with stuff. Expect that a parent bringing their little one might have a playpen or carrier for the baby to rest in. If you invite any breastfeeding mothers, you might want to have a space, perhaps in a spare bedroom, where they can retreat, if they need to.

If your party is child friendly, and you have a maximum number of people you can invite, remember to count each attending child as a guest. This is especially important if you’re in a rented space, as you’ll have to abide by fire codes, and fire codes do count children as people. Even parents, however, are entitled to have a child-free party. Sitters can be found, after all.

Try to keep it simple, and remember that the point of a holiday party is to have fun with people you enjoy being around. Be creative, invite those people who mean the most to you, and remember, it’s a holiday party. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just fun.

Festive Place Settings for a Holiday Party

Any holiday table can be enhanced by the use of personalized place settings. Even some very simple ideas can make your holiday table unique, while at the same time letting everyone know where to sit. Get creative, and maybe use something that your guests can take home with them to spruce up their own décor.

Frosted pinecones, found at most craft shops, make wonderful place settings. Simply take a gold or silver pen and write your guests names on the pinecones. If you want to turn these pinecones into ornaments, simply add a ribbon so that it may be hung on a tree. Make sure you write clearly and neatly, so there’s no confusion when it comes time to sit down for dinner.

If you have a box of plastic or glass ornaments laying around that you’re not using, turn these into a personalized place setting. Using coordinating pens designed for writing on glass or plastic, gently scrawl the names of your guests onto each ornament. Now each guest has a personalized ornament to hang on their own tree when they get home.

If you’re any good at origami, or know someone who is, try making paper reindeer, trees, Santas, or even gift boxes. Use a felt pen to write the names. Your guests will appreciate these unique crafts, and will certainly want to take them home at the end of the evening.

If you’d rather send your guests home with chocolates, cookies, or other treats, purchase some small gift boxes. Write the guests names on the boxes, and stuff each box with any goodie you’d like. You might also consider Christmas crackers, personalized with the name of each guest.

For the craftier holiday host, try personalizing the table itself. You could write names on glasses or dinnerware, but make sure you use food safe paints. If you don’t want to re-use your tablecloth, you could even get some fabric paint and put the names of your guests directly onto the tablecloth.

A more difficult, but very unique idea is to use actual food as personalized place settings. Try preparing an appetizer that requires a sauce, and use that sauce to write the names of your guests. Or offer a salad, and use dressing instead.

There are countless ways to use personalized place settings to make your table beautiful and unique. This is a chance to exercise your creativity in planning your holiday party. It usually only takes a few extra minutes, and your guests will certainly appreciate the effort.