Five struggles for every Soton student at Christmas

Finally it’s here. Your parents have picked you up and you’re back at home. But now you’ve come to realise that the Christmas holidays are not what you thought they’d be.

1. That last big night out in Jesters Winter Wonderland was not so much fun the morning after:

One of your housemates was sick in the kitchen, another one smashed three of your glasses, you downed one too many Jesticles and your post-pre-drinks lounge looks like a bomb just hit it. Not quite the heartfelt goodbye you imagined sharing with your uni mates.

Christmas tree on a student budget

2. Uni work is not over:

You missed that coursework deadline in the last week of term, you still have deadlines and you’ve got exams in January. You can’t physically remember anything your lecturer taught you in September – how are you supposed to learn a semester’s worth of work in three weeks?

Edward Instefjord, Physics, working hard

3. You have not finished Christmas shopping:

Sure, you bought that present for your housemates’ Secret Santa, but now you have to face that dreaded question: what do I buy my Dad for Christmas? My brother? For some reason you thought you’d be super organised by this point. I mean, Christmas Day is literally next week.

4. Living back with your parents is not how you remember it:

Somehow you forgot that your parents don’t like having a pile of washing up next to the sink that resembles the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Now that you’re home, you actually have to lay the table before dinner (what’s the point of placemats anyway?) and someone regularly tells you to clean your bedroom. You didn’t even think your student house was that bad…

Apparently not acceptable at home…

5. Nights out at home are not as cheap:

So you and your mates from home decide to go out one night. The usual tenner you take to Jesters just isn’t going to cut it. More expensive taxis, entry, drinks… Okay, so sometimes the clubs back home are a bit cleaner (no Jesters shoes needed), have a bit less nudity (but we do love Baywatch) and are not completely full of drunken students, but isn’t that all part of the fun?

We really do have the best deals

Despite these struggles that lie ahead, you’ll be missing your family (and the free food and booze) soon enough.

So embrace the Christmas cheer and enjoy that roast dinner (brussels sprouts included), that annual family showing of Love Actually (with the volume turned right up for the benefit of your older relatives) and before you know it (in less than three weeks) you’ll be back in Southampton.

Merry Christmas!

What are the best/worst things about being at home for Christmas? Let us know in the comments.