Ten from the Top: feelings on Winter break
Ten from the Top is the weekly column of the very honest and often snarky thoughts of District’s editor-in-chief.
We are all two pencil lines out of place away from a personal breakdown. I have lost count over three years how many times I have seriously considered dropping out over the sheer stress of three tests and four final projects due within four days of each other. But hold on, because we are so close to the end you can see the finish line and no matter how many times you have “fallen” by procrastinating and binging Netflix, you still just drag yourself across to the end.
1. Joy
It is only a few days until you can go home to a family that will cook your meals and possibly do your laundry. With that comes a time when you can slip away into that wonderful state of young adulthood where you are capable but not expected to do things for yourself.
2. Terror
You will not understand what fear is until you wake up at 11:47 p.m. in a cold sweat worried that you forgot to finish a paper before realizing that you are on break.
3. Exhaustion
Do I even need to explain this one?
4. Hunger
I count this as an emotion because real food, cooked in a kitchen by people whose palette includes more than ketchup and soy sauce is amazing. Be ready to be stuffed more than the Thanksgiving turkey you could single-handedly take down.
5. Anger
When those final projects that you spent days, if not weeks on, finally get graded. “Really, a B? That was three days nonstop. I ate nothing but french fries and black coffee.”
6. Acceptance
Yes, it is weird being home when home for the past few months has been Savannah. But it will be ok. You like your old town, or at least part of it, regardless of whether it is your house or the local pizza joint.
7. Confusion
No one knows your inside jokes now, or the fact that you know longer eat specific things. Be prepared to explain a lot, but also know when to let it go because it is just way more important to you then it is to them.
8. Camaraderie
Your friends from home, finally get to see you home! You get to see them and laugh over the stupid stuff you did in high school and bond over how terrible finals are (which you will be done with long before them; they have to suffer!)
9. Longing
Believe it or not, you will actually really truly miss school. Yes, even the all-nighters and 2:00 a.m. runs to McDonalds because college is, fundamentally, a lot of fun.
10. Relaxation
For God’s sake just breathe, the quarter is done.
