There is nothing quite like family time. After being away at school for a second year, I thought I was immune to being homesick. I was wrong.

I missed home so much that I started to feel like I was falling behind in my classes. I was unable to focus because I was trying to distract myself from being homesick.

After going through the motions of the week, the weekend had finally arrived. I am fortunate to be far enough away from home to have the full college experience but not so far that a trip home is out of the question. And without question, I found myself packing a weekend bag and heading home.

After I had arrived I realized no one in my family was actually home. They were all at work or in school themselves. But that was okay. While I was awaiting my family’s arrival, I finally had the will power to catch up on my homework. By the time my family got home, I was relaxed.

Being surrounded by them helped me calm down and feel at ease. According to “Reasons Spending Time With Your Family is Important”, “…being able to communicate and bond with your loved ones will help to reduce your stress”. ( https://thevahub.org/reasons-spending-time-with-your-family-is-important/ )

Being home helped focus on all of the things that I needed to get caught up on. It helped put my mind at ease and reset properly for the upcoming week. It was just what I needed. 

After I had returned to school, I felt ready for whatever was to come next. Sometimes, you just need a home reset. Some people do not have the convenience of being close enough to home but there are other ways to relax away from home as well.

Sometimes a phone call to your family to check in can help lift your spirits and give you enough charge. Another benefit to spend time with your family, as stated in the aforementioned source, states that “…kids who spend quality time with their loved ones have better self-confidence”. 

I may not be a “kid” but this still holds true. My family lifts me up and they could tell that I needed a break. At this point in the semester when projects are loaded on and the homework piles up, it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

With a couple weeks left until Thanksgiving break, I could tell that I needed something that school could not provide me. While school is my home away from home, nothing beats real home like family.

It is okay to go home for a weekend break to reset yourself. In fact, if you are able, I would recommend it to help conquer the stress. 

Karena Ozier is a sophomore elementary education major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].