The pros and cons of being away from UNC for break

I hope every Tar Heel is enjoying the much awaited winter break. It feels like yesterday every inch of campus was covered with students feeling the impending doom of finals week.

So it seems like a fitting time to recognize the positive aspects of being at home while acknowledging the parts of of our time in Chapel Hill we miss the most.

First of all, let’s talk about the food. A nice home-cooked meal or a night out at one of your favorite hometown restaurants is a great thing to look forward to when going home. If you live in a dorm, going home means you can cook or bake more than you usually are able to at UNC.

However, at UNC, one can walk into Wendy’s up until 3am with absolutely no shame whatsoever and order to their heart’s content. I also miss walking down Franklin Street to get a cup of Starbucks or grabbing some YoPo on a Saturday night.

One of the best parts about being home is being able to spend time with pets. School is just not the same without your dog or cat cuddled up against you while you finish assignments. When at UNC, I use some of my pet-less time by watching the never-ending amount of UNC squirrels doing crazy stuff around campus.

Another aspect I don’t particularly miss is the work. When we return to Chapel Hill, it means the classwork is starting up again. When at home, we’re not cramming for an exam or trying to coordinate a group project meeting (the absolute worst).

While some of us may be working a part-time job during break, midterms and projects are certainly not on the brain at the moment. I definitely don’t miss blue books at all.

A semi-pro/con would be seeing your friends and family at home. Catching up with friends from home is a major pro, but spending time away from your Chapel Hill friends can be a bummer as well. These are people who you’ve bonded with the past few months through studying, partying and just living the college life.

Home is always beautiful to us, but we can all admit our campus at UNC is gorgeous beyond explanation. We are so lucky to call this place our home away from home. While we snuggle up in bed at home, we can sleep peacefully knowing we have another amazing home waiting for us as well.

One major con about being home is missing out on watching UNC sporting events in person. I especially miss cheering on Tar Heel football and basketball.

Enjoy the rest of your winter break, Tar Heels. Classes start up in just a few days and we look forward to seeing everyone back on campus.