While many people are preparing for a holly, jolly holiday, college kids like us are panicking about our futures, and it doesn’t help when our family members won’t stop asking about our plans post-graduation, or nosing into our personal lives. Here are a few tips to make any holiday party with family better and less stressful this season.
- Pour eggnog on the head of anyone that even looks like they might ask, “what do you want to do after graduation?” While this is an abhorrent waste of a perfectly good holiday drink, it buys you some time to escape from your nosy relative.
- If your relative asks about a significant other, change the subject immediately to how WONDERFUL and TASTY that relative’s fruitcake is. No, really. It’s incredible. Best dang fruitcake I’ve ever had. Who DOESN’T love dates, raisins, walnuts AND candied cherries, all in one little cake?
- Climb the Christmas tree if the conversation becomes too personal. As soon as your relative seems like they might ask about your grades, find the nearest evergreen and scale that sucker.
- Threaten to flick a booger into the nearest appetizer platter if someone tries to drum up a convo about your drinking habits (Obviously, over here at the BA we don’t endorse booger-flicking, but the threat is enough for your relative to back off).
- If climbing the Christmas tree doesn’t work, then only answer questions about your relationship status by using quotes from the best holiday movie ever, “Love Actually.” If you haven’t seen it, STREAM IT IMMEDIATELY, because you will probably be able to use that ammunition at some point this holiday season.
- Wear a Rudolph nose to the holiday party. It’s a lot harder to ask someone a serious question about their future if they resemble a stop-motion reindeer.
- If none of these work, just try to be as honest as you can. Remember, it’s okay to not have everything figured out when you’re in your early 20s. No one expects you to. When it comes to your future, your academic career or your personal life, it’s up to you what you get to tell your family.
