How to Survive College Winter Break

College brings a sense of freedom to many young people, but that first semester flies by in no time at all. Before you know it, you’re heading back home for a much deserved winter break. But making that jump from the complete absence of parental restraint back into the bosom of your family can be a difficult on everyone. Surviving winter break can present its own set of unique challenges.

Try not to surprise everyone, if you can avoid it. If you’ve changed your appearance, let your parents know ahead of time. If you dyed your hair blue and pierced your nose and eyebrow, they may not react well. And if your favorite holiday meal used to be ham, and now you’ve become a vegetarian and conveniently forgot to tell them, they’ll probably be a little miffed. Give them plenty of warning so that they can make any necessary adjustments.

If your parents are prone to over scheduling your breaks, talk to them first. Let them know that you’re recovering from a difficult semester at school, your exams were really taxing this time around, and you really need a break. Explain that you’ll probably need a couple days, at the very least, to sleep and spend some time alone. They’ll probably understand, provided you talk to them about it first.

Make time to spend with your family. You’ve been away for a while, and you’ve all missed each other. Tell them about your college experiences, what you like and what you don’t. Listen to the changes that have occurred in their lives while you’ve been gone. If conversations only seem to spark arguments, think of things you can do together that don’t require much talking. Maybe watch some holiday programming, or go out and see the holiday lights in your neighborhood. Anything that allows you to spend time together before you head back to college.

Take care of yourself, just as you’ve been doing at college for months. Do your own laundry, don’t depend on your parents for your every meal, and pick up after yourself. This will show your parents that you’re not the teenager who left for college, but you’re now a fully fledged adult, and you’re responsible for yourself.

If your parents start mentioning a curfew, don’t panic. They’re your parents and they love you. Instead of launching into an argument that can only end in a shouted “I’m not a child anymore!” take a step back. Calmly remind your parents that you no longer require a curfew. Be polite and let them know when to expect you, and out of respect, try not to come home at 3am. Remember to call if you’re going to be late, just so they don’t worry about you.

Finally, if you’re bringing a friend, make sure it’s okay with your parents. It’s their house, and they will not appreciate unexpected guests. On the other hand, if you’re going to spend part of your break visiting your friends, let your parents know first, preferably well in advance. This will avoid any hurt feelings when you suddenly disappear for three days in the middle of your break.

A visit home during your winter break can be a time to reconnect with your family and friends. Be polite and courteous, and very soon you’ll be heading back to college. You’ll have survived your winter break at home, and maybe even had some fun while you were at it.

How to Maintain a College Relationship When Home for Winter Break

Relationships of all kinds are hard. But a college relationship can even more difficult. Being young and in love, having to deal with exams, and then going home for winter break can stress even the most stable of relationships. If you do want to maintain your college relationship during break, you’ll need to make an effort to do so.

Start by defining your relationship. This isn’t always easy, and sometimes it’s less than fun, but it is necessary if you want your relationship to survive winter break. Start by asking yourself if you even want your relationship to survive. College relationships don’t necessarily have to be preserved. If you’re not sure, ask yourself a few questions. Is your partner a person you would want to introduce to your parents? If you could, would you invite this person home with you for break? Do you find your current relationship fulfilling?

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘no’, reconsider your relationship. Not all romantic affairs are designed to last. If you really feel as if it will be too much work to maintain your relationship, then consider ending it before you leave for home.

Maybe your answer to these questions is ‘yes’. Maybe your partner really is your perfect match. And maybe you can’t wait to introduce this person to your family and friends back home. If this is the case, then you’ll have some decisions to make. These decisions will dictate what steps you will take to maintain your relationship during the long winter break.

Be prepared to miss each other. It’s inevitable, if your relationship is indeed worth preserving. Instead of spending the time moping about being apart, look at your winter break as a time to do those things you haven’t done lately. Spend time with your family. Hang out with your non-college friends. Go out on the town you haven’t visited in months. Pack your winter break with activities and things to do. It will make the separation a little easier.

Consider how far apart you will be from your partner during the break. It is possible that you could get together once or twice throughout the break? If not, you’ll need to pick up the phone, or use e-mail. You should communicate with your partner every couple days, if at all possible. Don’t have the time? Make the time. A relationship, especially a college relationship, cannot survive without contact.

Don’t start a new relationship when you get home. Your partner probably won’t appreciate you ‘taking a break’ from your relationship. If you’re lonely, spend some extra time with family and friends. Don’t go looking for someone new, or your relationship will surely fall apart before you return to campus.

Think about your relationship carefully, and decide if maybe it’s time to introduce your partner to your family. Winter break can be a good time to do this, and bringing your partner home with you eliminates some of the problems associated with going home for winter break, such as missing your partner or wondering if he or she will find someone else. Just don’t ‘surprise’ your parents. No one will appreciate it.

If you and partner decide not to be apart for winter break, carefully arrange your visits home. You might have to split your winter break, spending half with your partner’s family, if that’s what your partner wants. Winter break isn’t all about you, after all, not if you’re spending it with your partner. Consider what your partner wants, and maybe the needs of your respective families, to coordinate your winter break.

Winter break doesn’t have to mean the end of your relationship. Be open minded, communicate with your partner, and remember that you’ll be back at college soon enough. If your relationship can survive winter break, whether you’re apart or together, then you’ll face a brighter future when you return to campus.