CNHS Pulse

Finally! Home for the holidays…time to relax, visit with friends and family, and eat home cooked food. All the hard work of a busy semester is over and that time we were all looking forward to is here. What better way to wind down after a hectic semester than going home, right? But for many students, going home for the holidays is not the relaxing vacation that it may be for others.

One of the exciting things about going away to college can be the independence gained. Hanging out with friends when you want, going where you want to go, and doing what you want. That first semester, students often get to make more of their own decisions. You get to learn more about yourself and your identity. Then you return home for the holidays. Maybe family is not used to this independence and still treats you like a child. Maybe, in learning more about yourself, you and your old friends do not connect like you had in high school. You have this new part of your life at college, and sometimes it can be challenging fitting into your “old” life back home.

Going home for the holidays can be stressful for LGBTQ* students as well. Going to college for the first time, many students find a home within the LGBTQ* community. Having a sense of belonging and community is essential. When this support does not exist at home…going home may feel lonely and isolating. This is especially true for students who may not be out at home, or whose families reject them because of being LGBTQ*. Students may be able to be “out” at college, and then return home only to have to hide this part of their identity. Students may have become more confident and comfortable with themselves and decide to come out to family when first returning home for the holidays. This can make the holidays very stressful.

Traveling, preparing dinner, family members that may not see each other often…the holidays can be added stress for everyone. Many LGBTQ* people have experienced extra stress at the holidays when spending time with family. If you’re thinking, “yeah, this sounds like me,” know that you are not alone! One way that the University of Vermont’s LGBTQA Center celebrates the holidays is during our annual Home for the Holidays event. Each year, the LGBTQA* community gathers for a banquet dinner sponsored by all of our ally offices across campus. We gather to relax at the end of the semester, to eat a meal together, and to celebrate in community before we head our own ways for the holidays. Whatever you may be heading home to for the holidays, you always have your LGBTQA family here at UVM!

Stop by to see us!

Becky

LGBTQA Center’s Home for the Holidays Dinner
December 10 from 3-7 p.m. at the Allen House, 461 Main Street

UVM students, staff, faculty, and alumni are invited to join the LGBTQA Center for a holiday meal. Turkeys are generously provided by Sodexo and many vegetarian and vegan options are lovingly prepared by our campus partners that comprise the UVM LGBTQA community. Held on the first reading day of the exam period, Home for the Holidays is a wonderful way to casually connect with friends and colleagues before the winter break. For more information on volunteering to decorate or preparing a dish for the event, contact lgbtqa@uvm.edu.

For some additional resources, check out these helpful online guides:
Tips for a Happy Holiday for LGBT People

Read This Before Coming Out To Your Parents