I asked sixty students from Rowan how often they go home, and the results confirmed what I already knew. Thirty two fell into the “I go home once or less per month” category, sixteen said they “go home every three weeks,” seven students go home “every other weekend” and only five out of sixty students said they “go home each weekend.” Overwhelmingly, students stay at Rowan for the weekends.
I am one of the students that go home once or less per month, and I do this because I don’t feel the need to be at home. When I take the hour and a half trip, however, I am reminded that my life at school is not my only life. I’ve realized that college students live two very different lives. There are now two rooms, sets of friends, and lifestyles.
The first time I went home after moving in was October. I remember saying how “weird” it was to be back, and I kept thinking about how much everything has stayed exactly the same. I, however, was the thing that had changed. After getting over the inital shock of returning home, I found myself very bored. Many of my friends live at their colleges as well, and unless we plan weekends to see each other, it’s hard to find others to hang out with. My old bedroom is filled with pictures from high school, and things that I used to treasure. Looking around my room now, a lot of the faces in the pictures have become strangers to me. Sometimes, I feel like a stranger in my own room. Almost as if I’ve outgrown it.
If any of my friends are home too, I’ll make it a priority to spend time with them. Otherwise, I spend a lot of time with my family and relax. Since my life at school does not include them, we catch up and talk about what’s new in all of our lives. It’s hard at first to balance this “double life” that comes along with living at school. I think it’s easiest to acknowledge and embrace these different parts of your life, and try to make the most out of each.
Rowan Gets Real: A Dorming Survival Guide 