Living at Home

I returned to the United States about five weeks ago. The stark contrast between my Polish and Maryland lives has created a divide between these two lives - one that feels greater than 5 weeks. This is not to say that living at home for the past five weeks has caused time to drag. In fact, my schedule in Maryland remains slightly busier than my life in Oświęcim. Granted, small Polish towns tend to have less to offer than suburban mid-Atlantic areas, but the point is, living at home for co-op is not a bad thing at all.

Co-oping outside of Boston can bring new financial and social challenges, unless the new place is one's home. Access to familiar settings, old friends and the parents' fridge makes living at home not too shabby. Of course, in comparison to one's high school lifestyle, it is safe to say that college tends to be more, well, exciting. A break from the excitement can be rejuvenating physically and financially. 

Many students have concerns about co-oping anywhere outside of Boston because of the disconnect potentially created as Boston moves on to the next adventure. Ignoring teasing from friends, no one is going to "forget about you" if a co-op outside of MA becomes a better decision for one's college career. I had hesitations about leaving my friends and my comfort zone for six months and traveling to Poland and D.C. International co-ops pose their own sets of challenges, but when co-oping within the United States, it is considerably easier to return to Husky Nation - which is what I did this past weekend. 

I experienced unexpected nerves the days leading up to my Boston return. With five months apart from my New England love, those nerves were understandable but not justified. Of course my friends continued with their own Northeastern paths and there were many updating sessions to be had over a mere 72 hours, but none of my friends had forgotten me, as my fears had told me they would. I remembered the last time I walked through Northeastern's campus, I was planning the logistics of my upcoming journey to Poland and work at Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Museum. Now, I return with three months of experiences that have completely transformed my personal and academic paths. What I wouldn't give to talk to myself in May, although I am unsure where I would begin. 

My mom, being an amazing kindergarten teacher, frequently reminds me of the importance of returning to the start to remember the journey. As cheesy as it sounds, returning to Boston did remind me of all I have been able to accomplish over these short 5 months. My co-op experience is a unique opportunity in so many ways, and I appreciated this reminder. So, living at home has its annoyances, as expected, but it also gives me the opportunity to further reflect on my experiences and allot all of my time towards my work at USHMM. And look at this amazing dog I get to see everyday:

Now that is a motivation to live at home.