My Telegraph piece: The 7 best things about going home for the holidays.

Yaaaaay! Super excited to share my second piece for the Telegraph with you all (which you can read on their website here.) Hopefully this is one to which lots of you can relate! I also love the picture the Telegraph editors chose - it's basically me all Christmas. Hope you enjoy it!



It’s been a long term and you’re exhausted. That could be because you’ve actually been working really hard for the whole time (final year students) or because you’ve been partying at the expense of sleep (freshers).

Either way, you’ve probably never felt so ready to go back to your parents, your family home and your teenage ways. Yup, we students are more than happy to revert to our childhood roles when home for the holidays. That's not to say we’re proud of it though.

Oh MUUUUUUM! Bring on the home comforts. Starting with a cup of tea and a homemade slice of cake, please. Brought to us on a tray.

Here are the best things about being home for the holidays:


1. Free food

And we’re not talking just any food here, are we? Well hello there, fresh berries, Green & Black’s chocolate and branded cereals. Sainsbury’s Basics, away with you!

What a delight it is to live in a home where the fridge and pantry are well-stocked. The comparison to your measly, mouldy food cupboard at uni (pasta and a tin of beans, right?) is, quite frankly, embarrassing.


2. Free booze

What’s that, parents? Would I like some wine with dinner? Well, OK then. Only if you insist. As I am of course a very sophisticated, grown-up, responsible drinker. Ahem. And this is the good quality stuff! *Drinks up*. Must remember to add Bailey’s to Mum’s shopping list. For, um, cooking purposes?


3. Trips to Waitrose for more than just a free tea or coffee

“I’m just popping to the supermarket,” says your mum.
“WAIT!” you cry, “which one?”
“Er, Waitrose,” she responds, somewhat puzzled.
“Then I’m coming with you!” you cheer, hurriedly getting up off the sofa and whacking on your most Waitrose-appropriate footwear.

The opportunity to fill up a shopping trolley with Waitrose goodies is too great an opportunity to pass up. And c’mon, it’s just such a delightful shopping environment! #astudentcandream


4. Watching TV on an actual TV from an actual sofa

Let’s face it: watching programmes and films that ALWAYS stop to buffer on your laptop gets a little tedious, doesn’t it? Also, bed-based viewing isn’t actually as comfy as everyone thinks.

There’s nothing more comfortable than the sofa you’ve sat/slumped/snoozed on throughout your formative years. Sky+, welcome back to our lives.


5. Having your laundry done for you

Let’s be honest here: your mum still does your washing when you go home, doesn’t she? And for an embarrassing amount of students, the poor lady will also be forced to deal with bags of dirties that’ve been sitting around in your damp uni room for weeks. Eww.

We all know it’s a bit (AKA extremely) pathetic – laundry isn't exactly difficult, and HELLO, we are the future intelligentsia and world leaders! Yet we’re shamefully happy to let Mummy Dearest take it upon herself to sort our smelly socks (boys) and handwash our sparkly dresses (girls… Mostly). Sorry, Mum.


6. Not having to cook yourself dinner every night

A lot of this comes down to food, doesn’t it? Although we manage to feed ourselves every day (rather generously for the most part), we have no problem leaving the dinner decisions to our parents most nights.

And then when we occasionally offer to cook for the family we feel like martyrs and expect mountains of praise for whipping up pasta. LOOK, PARENTS! I CAN COOK STUFF!


7. The dishwasher


No. Explanation. Needed.