Winter Break: What I'll Miss and What I Won't

     Though I intended to write this at the end of the Winter Break, and before I returned to school, here I am: in my hall at UC Irvine. I must say, it's quite a relief to be back. But being overwhelmed with schoolwork after only the third day of classes makes me more qualified, I feel, to weigh in on some cons of being here once again. It's very easy to romanticize a place when you're not in it, and I like to be as accurate as possible! So here we go-- what I will miss about Winter Break 2012-2013, and what I won't.

     What I Will Miss    

1. My Wheezy. (My best friend). This reason for missing home is miles above the rest. All of my good memories from Winter Break involved my best friend, Cathy, as you may or may not have picked up on. I love her so much and will miss her way more than anything else about my hometown.
2. Getting into blogging! It's definitely going to be a struggle working this around my busy college schedule. But I want to do my best. When I finish writing something I'm really proud of, there's this ineffable feeling in my chest. I'm going to do my best to post twice a week, I promise you!!
3. Driving. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I got behind the wheel.
4. My desktop. Using my desktop, with my giant widescreen monitor, after months of being on a laptop was like upgrading from a puddle to a jacuzzi. Haha.
5. Relaxing. As I hinted at in the introduction, it is literally three days into the quarter and I have a mountain of homework I'm choosing to ignore at the moment. I've got French flashcards to create, five chapters of the language to basically relearn because I didn't keep up over break, about 100 pages of Faust left, plus reading the introduction to my first textbook for my Asian American Studies class. Welp. I'll miss not having to stress about my grades, and never being completely done with homework. 

     What I Definitely Will Not Miss     

1. BEING BORED 80% OF THE TIME. On the other side of the "relaxation" coin is painful,  mind-melting, toe-curling boredom. This point should really fill up five bullet points... because having nothing to do was my absolute least favorite part of the break. I hated sitting in my room, day after day, sulking in pajamas and trying to find something on Netflix to keep my mild attention.
2. Not being able to see my college friends and my boyfriend. Being back at school has brought this point to my attention even moreso than it was during Winter Break. I missed my friends so much; I've never fit in with a group of people more. And though I won't ever resign myself to a lifestyle where my happiness depends on my boyfriend, having him nearby has made my days just that much brighter.
3. The experiences that are impossible at home: staying up until 3AM for no reason whatsoever, drunken heart-to-hearts, hall dinners, group study sessions, being able to aimlessly meandering about the hall until you find someone to hang out with, group walks to fast food joints, nap parties.
4. Having to figure out food for myself. As unappealing as the food in commons is, attempting to fix a meal for myself is even moreso. I haven't leveled up to the stage in adulthood where I can effectively feed myself. Someday, maybe; but today is not that day. 
5. Walk everywhere. I missed driving, but I missed the long strolls while away.
6. Freedom. It's pretty childish and very predictable, but I love being in charge of my own life. Living by a curfew and the obligation to inform my mother of my every move was a bit difficult after months of finally doing whatever the hell I wanted. Having the freedom to choose my own path, whether that path leads to In-N-Out at 1AM or to the library for some focused studying, is certainly my favorite part of college. 

Winter Break was not unbearable, it just felt like such a waste of time. Unless I was doing something with Cathy, I was bored out of all sanity and it felt like my brain was filled with static; there was nothing to stimulate my mind, so it just droned on for three weeks about nothing at all. In high school, I used to spend days alone in my bedroom, scrolling Tumblr and thinking maybe my life would start soon. I feel like now it finally has. I'm finally out of the waiting room, and I can't handle being back inside it. There's no going back to that lifestyle, as grateful as I am to have had it the past few years. Now, I'm at a point in my life where I constantly want to be experiencing something. And this Winter Break, worthwhile moments were few and far between. Thus, I'd give it a 6/10 maybe?! I don't know man, I love college!

♥ Happy Living ♥