As college students, we have the incredible ability to put up with living conditions that are less than desirable, to put it nicely. Between the trash that piles up, the beds that are never made and the bathrooms that haven’t been cleaned since our lease was signed, it’s a wonder how we can tolerate such an environment for months at a time.
However, the college living situation only seems revolting when compared to the middle-class homes that many of us came from. We might not realize it while we’re here, but we have a lot to learn when it comes to taking care of ourselves.
When we venture home for winter break, there will inevitably be some huge differences that we’re grateful for right off the bat. But there’s also a collection of smaller things that aren’t immediately obvious. Here are the ten little things (in no particular order) you’ll be grateful for after going back to your parents’ house.
1. The food: This one seems obvious, but you actually don’t fully appreciate the gift of a refrigerator full of food until you come back to find yours stocked with little more than a couple tortillas and some milk that’s definitely expired. Your parents’ fridge is like a gold mine that never ends.
2. Paper products: I’m talking about toilet tissue that’s actually soft, paper towels that are more than two-ply and actual Kleenex so you don’t have to keep wasting your TP on the inevitable fall term runny nose.
3. Television: I’ll be honest, my apartment came with a giant plasma TV that lives its life comfortably as a decoration for my living room. I don’t have cable, so its usability is severely hampered for my roommate and I. Going home means that when I turn the TV on, I’ll see more than the one looping channel telling me how to order Xfinity.
4. The temperature: It doesn’t seem to matter how new your building is, it’s never a match for the outside coming in. At home, you’ll experience the bliss of windows that aren’t ridiculously drafty and a heater that you can turn up without your roommate yelling about the increased utility bill.
5. General quality: Almost everything in your parents’ house is nicer than what you have. It’s just a fact of life. Whether it’s pots and pans that aren’t from the early 50s or an oven that doesn’t take half the evening to preheat, it’s safe to say our parents’ stuff is light years ahead of ours in terms of quality.
6. The car: I’m the only one of my friends who has a car in Eugene, but I can tell just from that how liberating it must be to have the ability to go places further than walking distance for the first time in months. At home, you can go anywhere and do anything, and you probably don’t have to worry about where you park it either.
7. Family: We all love our families, but we often forget about the small things they do that really solidify that. I will never shake my head again at having people around who will cook for me, clean up after me, and just be there to keep me company sometimes.
8. The cleanliness: Though it’s more immediately apparent, the reality of having a house that’s spotless 95 percent of the time is almost breathtaking after living in a college apartment. The floors are smooth, the fixtures are shiny and everything just smells nice.
9. The boredom: We complain all the time about how bored we are over break, but we never stop to appreciate how pleasant it is actually not having anything to do for once. No impending projects, no cramming for finals, just pure relaxation. Take some time over break to unwind before the craze of another quarter sets in.
10. The silence: I always thought it was actually a little creepy how silent my parents’ neighborhood is, but I’ve learned to never take that for granted. Go home and enjoy three weeks of sleeping soundly without drunk people screaming at 2 a.m., crisis assistance vans backing out and ambulances blaring sirens at all hours of the day.
Follow Grant Susman on Twitter @ImGrantSusman