You asked:

My classes don’t start until early September, but I’m ready to get away from my parents now. Is it too soon for me to move back to school?

It can definitely be frustrating to live with your parents’ rules and restrictions after being on your own at college and quite a contrast to the sweet independence you got used to at school. The “it’s nice to be home” feeling has worn off? You’re ready to

• Talk to your parents about heading back to school early if your residence hall opens for early arrivals or has summer housing. It never hurts to ask … calmly. Plus, talking with them about why you want to leave might help them realize how you’ve changed as an adult.
• Mature communication is a good place to start, so even if you’re not able to bail, try to negotiate with your parents about the key issues that bother you. Perhaps you can work out some compromises to ease your frustrations from now until summer’s end.
• Consider taking a late-summer vacation. Hit the road to go see a friend or relative who would welcome the visit. This could be a nice temporary distraction from the parental pressure you’ve been feeling.
• Find ways to keep busy outside the house, if you’re forced to stay with your parents until the end of the summer. Take full day trips to your favorite local places and enjoy what you can without having to venture too far from home.
• Crash at a friend’s place in your college town for as long as you can before school starts. Surely, you have at least a friend or two who live there year-round. See if you can head in early -- even if it means snoozing on someone’s couch for several nights.

Name: Sarah Arsenoff
School: UNC Wilmington
Year: Senior
Major: Marine Biology
Her Deal: This is Sarah's third year as an R.A. for freshmen and international students. She writes for Periplus, a university newsletter for students who, like her, are in the honors scholars program.

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