By:Katrina Penaflor 
managing editor

Winter break at my parents’ house: a love/hate relationship.

God bless winter break.

God bless the three week reprieve from classes.

God bless sleeping in for a week because I told my other job school lasted a week longer than it actually did so they wouldn’t schedule me.

God bless my mother constantly reminding me it’s my turn to do the dishes. Oh wait…

For everyone, winter break is different. Some people stay in Monmouth, some people travel (the lucky ones), and some people, like me, go back to their parents’ house.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love going home to my family. I miss them when I’m at school, and I have a great relationship with my parents and siblings.

The only issue in all this is dealing with the change of living on my own to living back under my parents’ roof and abiding by the “their house, their rules concept.”

At my house, here in Monmouth, I literally get to do whatever I want. It’s not like I do anything crazy with this freedom, it’s more just not wearing any pants, never doing my dishes, and leaving my stuff all over the place.

Things I’m sure other students can relate to. And if they say they don’t, they’re probably lying.

But at my parents’ house, it’s like freedom is slowly dialed back. I’m transported back to the days of high school where I have to tell my parents where I’m going, share the television with my little sister Gracie, and have to try not to swear so much (that last one proved to be the most difficult).

But of course there are the upsides, like food. So much wonderful food. It’s just magically always there in the cabinets and fridge (thank you, mom). And getting together with family members that I only see once or twice a year (Uncle David, thank you for hosting Christmas).

So I guess in the grand scheme of things, I really have nothing to complain about. I loved taking a break from school and going home, even if it did mean keeping “f” words that rhyme with duck out of my vocabulary.

As for the winter break “love/hate relationship” I shall just say, “Winter break, I love you.”