If you didn’t go home for reading week, you really missed out

Suddenly it’s the end of week six.  It seems only yesterday we were coming back from the Christmas holidays ready to buckle down and go on an enormous food and alcohol detox.

For those of us who are graced with a reading week, it feels like a half term where we can take a week to catch up on all the lectures we missed or perhaps do some “actual” reading. In semester one, practically everyone who had a reading week went home to get away from the stresses of univeristy life but this time, many of us decided to stay for various reasons – perhaps job commitments or just having too much work to do. With Easter around the corner anyway, it seemed pointless to trek home. With reading week coming to an end though, maybe going home would have been the better decision.  I mean, think of all the things you’ve missed out on…

Having home cooked food

The best thing about being at home is for the food. You don’t have to think about what you’re going to cook every night and you can avoid the big weekly food shop, saving you some money. Let’s be honest, our student loans are drastically decreasing every day and not having to buy food for a week will help.

After not being at home for a while, your parents seem to actually want to cook you anything you desire, thinking you’ve been half-starved since being back at uni, which isn’t far wrong.   Watch out for that “what do you want to eat this week?” text from Mum. Being treated like royalty is amazing for sure and there always seems to be an endless amount of food in the cupboards.  A far cry from that solitary tin of beans back in Selly.

Seeing pets

I swear, after being away from home for a while, pets become cuter, fluffier and more adorable than ever. Don’t you miss lounging on the sofa with a ball of fluff? Every time you come home, your dog is so excited to see you, unlike your flatmates at uni who are grumpy half the time and mostly mope around. Pets are the best when you just want some random attention and you won’t get that when everyone you live with suffers from a constant hangover or lives in the library.

Not having to do any washing up, cleaning or laundry

Finally, you are reunited with the dishwasher. There are so many things you realise you’ve been taking for granted at home whilst being at uni.  The floor doesn’t automatically get hoovered and a fresh pile of clean clothes doesn’t just instantly appear on your bedroom chair at university. But at home, this DOES happen – thank you mum, you are honestly a star.

Reunited with bae

Family and friends

You can only text, call and skype family and friends so much before you start to miss them and need human contact with them. It is important to see them every now and again even if it’s just for a few days so you are always in each other’s lives. It is easy to forget to call you mum or dad back as uni can get very hectic so scheduling in a quick visit in reading week can avoid any arguments and it can make sure you are up to date with them.

Seriously, you should have just gone home.  Take that well earned break from your six contact hours a week.