Thanksgiving and winter break are exciting times to go home and spend time with family and friends. They’re periods of relaxation, where you have a whole week (or several) to not worry about upcoming assignments. I, for one, look forward to not having to wear shoes in the shower and sleeping in the comfort of my own bed. However, readjusting between University of Massachusetts and home in a mere few weeks can be hard for some people, and while you’re home, you may grow to miss school. In essence, leaving UMass can bring a mix of emotions.

The fact that I get to see my high school friends and family is what I look forward to most on vacations. You don’t have to worry about deadlines, getting up early for classes, or any exams. By winter break, your semester classes are over so you really don’t have anything to worry about because finals will be done at that point. So, use break as your time to relax, because once you return to campus you’ll miss not having to do work! Also take it as a time to catch up with people you went to high school with, and see family! You may grow to miss them a lot when you’re at school.

I know that when I go home, the first thing I miss from UMass is the food. No one in my family can cook very well, so not having UMass dining at my home in Connecticut was hard to get used to. I miss my friends, as going from essentially living with them to not seeing them for weeks is a weird adjustment. Personally, it takes a lot for me to assimilate between living situations, so going back-and-forth between college and home isn’t ideal. But if you’re one to adjust quickly, this shouldn’t be a problem for you.

My point is, depending on how you look at it, leaving UMass for breaks can be bittersweet. I didn’t think this was the case until my first winter break where, by January, I was longing to return to campus (and I know this is the same for my UMass friends). That being said, I think it says a lot about a person’s liking for a school if they literally miss it when they’re not there. However, vacation is a perfect time to get a little R&R and rekindle old friendships. Luckily, if you miss UMass come the end of your vacation -- and trust me, you will -- just remember that you’ll be back soon. Breaks are only temporary!