Being home for break just affirms for me the fact that I don’t actually consider this “home” anymore. Every time my parents ask me a question or ask me to do something or ask me anything at all that requires me to pay any bit of attention to them, I realize that when they’re not around I don’t honestly miss them that much. That may sound horrible and ungrateful, but it’s really not; that’s not the point I’m trying to make here.

The point is, after everything is said and done, New Brunswick has become my new home and, in it, I have developed a new life and a new identity and have become everything that I hoped to be before the age of 21. When I’m stuck at home I feel repressed and lonely, and all I want is the familiar smell of skunk/pot and the booming bass of the people next door and the stress of getting work done before the sun comes up. I miss layout nights and the walk to Murray and shitty pasta from the dining hall. I miss New Brunswick in a way that doesn’t really make sense but at the same time totally does.

Break is a time for sleep and relaxation, yet it’s also a time to realize what has become most important in your life. So take this week to reflect on what you have done and who you have become; you may be surprised by what you find. And if you’re anything like me, you may discover that college and Rutgers life and New Brunswick in general have changed you for the better in more ways than you ever could have imagined.

And also, try not to kill any family members while you’re home; homicide doesn’t really look good on your resume.

Anon