Almost every college freshman experiences homesickness on some level. It’s an aspect of college life that comes with the territory, and I was certainly not immune to it. The homesickness I endured in the beginning my freshman year was almost a debilitating illness that I treated with multiple viewings of “The Notebook” and long phone calls home.

As the years pass and we begin to establish ourselves as adults, the homesickness ebbs and we become more at-home in our new lives than our old ones. I don’t find myself getting homesick anymore, but I always miss my family, and now that I’m older I appreciate them more than ever (it also helps that I am no longer a perpetually-angry teenager with an agenda).

Today my mother and grandparents are flying in from Florida for the week and I couldn’t be more excited. Not only are they three of my six favorite people on the planet, but having family in town gives me a reason to do super-touristy activities without feeling lame. Having lived in NYC for almost four years now, I tend to avoid tourist hot-spots like Times Square and Rockefeller Center, but with my family visiting I can enjoy sightseeing New York like it’s my first time here. Everything feels new and exciting again.

I always love to take my family to my favorite restaurants when they come to visit, and I have a few standbys that I know I can rely on. I’m pretty lucky that Fordham’s campus is situated right next to Arthur Avenue– the Bronx’s Little Italy. Literally right outside my door there are dozens of options for authentic, family-style Italian food served in restaurants that have been open for a decades. However, Italian isn’t the only food that Arthur Avenue has to offer; Estrellita Poblana has the best shrimp tacos I’ve ever had in my life, guacamole to die for, and an awesome student discount ($2 Coronas!!). A bit of a connoisseur of Mexican food, I can confidently say that NYC’s best is located in the Bronx. As for favorite breakfast spots, Sarabeth’s is tops with delicious takes on traditional breakfast dishes. Plus, huge portions!! Am I right!?

We do have to find other activities to help us pass the time between each meal. Whenever my family visits we almost always see a Broadway show. As the world’s biggest Harry Potter groupie, I insisted that we see “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”, starring His Harry-ness himself, Daniel Radcliffe. Judging by his vivacious nature and willingness to please, I’m sure Daniel will do an excellent job leading the show’s ensemble.

I always try to find interesting museums to take my culture-loving mother to. While the Met and MoMA are always great, it’s fun to stop into smaller places like the Folk Art Museum, or to try and catch an interesting exhibit at the Whitney. Since my grandparents aren’t much into walking at their ages it’s usually best for us to find smaller, quieter museums that are easier to explore at a leisurely pace.

I love my family so much, but when they visit it can be pretty exhausting. That’s why I’m so lucky to have great deals on coffee through Campus Clipper! I can always get a boost at Financier Coffee, and for 10% off with this coupon, it’s a delicious way to make it through the day.

Olivia, Fordham University 2012

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I suppose it was around 11^th grade when I realized that having a family dinner every night isn’t the norm for most families that I know. Almost every night for as long as I can remember, my family (Mom, Dad, Sister, and I) has sat down to dinner together, at our dining room table. Regardless of whether we had an elaborately cooked meal, leftovers, or restaurant take-out, the four of us sat around the table and spent time together. We’d talk about our day at school or work, or plans we had for the rest of the week, anything really.

However, I’ve noticed that a lot of families aren’t like this at all. Kids will dole their share onto their plates then head right back to their televisions or computers, and parents are guilty of doing the same. Dinners are turned into rushed meals of standing at kitchen counter-tops, avoiding eye contact, and rushing away as soon as possible. Often times the kids are left on their own, to make or buy their own dinner whenever and wherever they please. I’ve found that when I tell those sorts of people that my family does in fact have a family dinner every night, they look at us as if we’re crazy. My sisters claims to have had similar experiences among her peers, as well. Although my family’s Sunday brunches are spent sharing bagels from Bagel Bob’s (which sweetly offers a 10% student discount), we are supposedly the anomaly.

Recently my family’s been bonding over Jeopardy. Every night at 7:00 as we eat, the TV turns on, and the table conversation becomes a blend between the last movie I saw, the vacation my sister and I are pressing to be planned, and everyone yelling out what they hope is the right answer to the last trivia question. It’s a bit nontraditional, yes, and sure, we know that eating with the TV on is unhealthy, but it’s the weird sort of way that my family bonds, and it’s special.

This vacation that I hope gets planned is also an attempt to have more family time. I’m aiming for a recreation of a childhood vacation, where we traveled to Vermont. The two activities that are most vivid in my memory are the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory tour, and the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory tour.

For the past few years my family has been having fewer and fewer vacations together, what with the recession, and two students in college, two parents at work, and few over lapping vacation days, but I’m really pushing for this Vermont vacation to happen because I think it’s important for us to spend time together—and who doesn’t love ice cream and teddy bears? The point is, spend some time with your family, the summer is a great opportunity for that. My sister’s been working with my grandmother to put together a family tree and organize old photos; maybe you could do something like that with your own family. I think you’ll find it worth your while.

/elizabeth Kaleko, Tufts University

Photo by Normal Rockwell

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