Ah, holiday break. That magical time of year when you go home excited for home-cooked meals… and immediately remember why you were so eager to leave for college in the first place. Between the So what are you majoring in again? interrogations, the unexpected run-ins with people you haven’t seen since high school, and the inevitable small-town drama that pops up like it never left—winter break can feel less like a vacation and more like a social obstacle course.
Don’t worry. Here’s your guide to surviving (and maybe even enjoying) the chaos.