The end of the school swiftly approaches, and with the end comes an inevitable

homecoming many graduates have feared since stepping into the world four years ago: the return to their parents’ house.

However, societal taboos have overlooked some of the perks that come with crashing with the parents for months on end.

First, my mom makes much better food than me. I have lived my entire college career without realizing a dash of lemon juice makes tuna salad ever-so-much yummier. And the staples to my diet have included bananas and peanut butter (which should not be eaten together in public. They cannot be chewed with any level of decorum). But my mom insists on fish Fridays and meat Saturdays, and lots of other delicious stuff in between. (Can you smell the homemade waffles?)

Also, my dad makes much more money than I do – enough money to afford a house. When I live at home, I don’t have to fork over hundreds of dollars each month in rent, which can drain the bank account pretty drastically when you leave college without employment secured. And family trips to the movies aren’t so bad as long as Dad pays the bill, right?

Remember the laundry piled in the closet since Spring Break? Well, I can add my four baskets of clothes to my parents’ wash, and someone will get to the chore eventually. Maybe I will even lend a hand! Washing clothes is not too much of a burden, and the occasional chore here and there can make the parents appreciate me living at home because I contribute.

When I get sick, my mom can pat my head and bring me water and medicine. She can make me scrambled eggs because they sit well on upset stomachs, and we can chat about whether we need to call the doctor at his house because it’s the weekend and his office is closed. Then she can ask if I want to watch “Puff, the Magic Dragon” because when I was sick as a toddler, I always asked for that classic. I will say, no, but thanks.

Because like our parents have seen us grow over time, we graduates can expect some things to have changed in our houses since we left four years ago. My parents have finally moved back into the master bedroom, originally occupied by my three older brothers, two of whom have since moved out of the house. I can also expect my parents to ask everyday about the progress I have made on job hunting.

But until we find steady sources of income, hanging out with the parents will not be too bad. After four years of trail mix dinners, I am ready to head back home.

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