A college student's guide to home for the Holidays

From the Arcadia Tower December 15th
by Sean Kearney


For those who are regular readers of The Tower, you know I've always got your back on holiday prep guides. Well now we're at the big ones. The Christmas/Hanukkah, Kwanzaa season, as far as holidays go, is like playing the Superbowl on the same field ad as the World Series. In space. Irrelevant imagery aside, this is the big one. Get caught flat footed during this season and the holidays will swallow you whole. Here's a few tips to consider going into this holiday season.
Don't be a jerk. There's nothing worse than a Scrooge. Why do you think they made an entire play about Scrooge? Because Scrooge sucks and if he didn't change his ways you know those ghosts would have haunted his grumpy ass forever. I don't really believe in ghosts, but that's not the point. Your snarky comments about how Christmas is a display of gross American consumerisim don't humor anyone but you. You have all your life to be a jerk, don't do it now.
 By the same token, keep the holiday cheer in check. Some people are naturally Scrooges, and we've already determined that nobody likes them, but there is another side to this; crazy, crazy Christmas lovers. Christmas rules, but it is still just one day of the year. For all of you Christmas people who play Christmas carols from dawn 'til dusk, stop it. Carols are nice because they are a rare thing that are only appropriate to be played one time a year. None of us need a year's worth of listening in the days leading up to Christmas. Those of you who string your house with enough lights to make Times Square look like Amish country, take it easy. If you're doing it to be the best house on the block, see a therapist, If you just want to show your Christmas cheer that much, again, see a therapist.
Ghosts of high school past return. So you've been out with the family all day doing family things like hanging out and hearing and answering questions about college and you want to go out with some of your friends from home. So you meet up at an old favorite spot, go go a party, or head out to a bar. Be ready. Across that bar can be that dude that never grew out of his varsity letterman jacket or that girl that's in denial over going from popular in high school to irrelevant in college. Think they were annoying then? Try to handle them now, reminding you of their golden age. You can be the nicest person in the world, but trying to care will be tough. Just nod and smile.
Relax. If college teaches us anything, it is how to deal with more and more stress year after year. Finals mark the final hurrah in what at times seems like an altogether evil end to the semester. So much of success in college is keeping your cool while your nose is metaphorically pressed to grindstone. When you're home, take it all in. Each of us has a month to sleep in our comfy beds, have home cooked meals, and get showered with presents during the whole thing. Break will slip through your fingertips no matter what, so enjoy.
That's all I've got everyone, Have a nice break and see you in January. Happy Holidays!