House Divided

Leah C.

November 29, 2009 - 11:00 PM

This Thanksgiving break was the first time I went back home this term. College is fun and all, but deep down inside I really miss my family. During the past 3 years at the University of Oregon, I've felt most at home my Junior year. I've made many great friends and I am involved with several student groups and clubs. I know my way around Eugene as if it were my own neighborhood, and with the free bus service provided by the university I can go almost anywhere. Apart from all this, I have been feeling homesick. Two years of discovering "freedom" and being "independent" is nice, but I find myself missing home more and more lately. Perhaps adjusting to college life in the beginning had clouded my homesickness. Everything seemed so new during my first two years, and there was so much to be seen and done. Granted I went home more often during my freshmen and sophomore year which was probably why I never felt like this before. All I can say is, it was great to be back home.

During Thanksgiving Day we went over to my uncle's house for dinner. It was really nice being with family again, with the usual rivalry smack talks over turkey, ham, and sweet yams. Yes, my aunts and uncles are all beavers, while my cousin, sister and I are the Ducks. Youtube videos of the "I Love My Ducks" were being cheered and booed at, and talks about the rose bowl game, and whose school is better in "blank," were tossed across the table. I guess this is what they call, a house divided. I should probably bring one of those flags divided by the two logos of the UO and OSU mascots painted in green and orange next year. This is another reason why I love going to UO, there's so much spirit, and it has this college town feel to it. People are not afraid to show off their colors, or talk about their love for their school. It's so important for anyone who passes through either college to take pride in where they went, even though the two schools are only about an hour away from each other.

Anyway, there are only 4 more days until the big rivalry game, and 14 days until I'm home again. I can't wait to see my little brother, mom and dad again. I miss home cooked meals and simple conversations to catch-up with everything in the house, and every time I go back it seems like my brother is growing taller and taller. Time is going by too fast! The end of the term is nearing and a new year will begin. Sometimes I just wish time would slow down just a little bit, enough for me to catch up on the most important things in my life, and one of them is quality time with my family.