Here’s what my life was like last week: I had a bad sore throat and could not get any rest, partly because of noisy housemates and partly because of school anxieties. To make matters worse, this was the middle of Halloween week, so any chance of me getting a good night’s sleep suddenly went out the window.

I couldn’t take it anymore, so I decided to return to my home in Fairfield for the weekend- something I hadn’t done since mid-September. It turns out that was the remedy I needed. My sore throat is starting to recede and I finally was able to sleep for several hours without being interrupted. It felt good to get away.

I like living in Chico, but the college environment wears me down. I don’t know how to explain it, but it could be a mixture between the stress of schoolwork and seeing the same kinds of people everyday. It gets tiring rather quickly, so a change of scenery is always nice. People tend to be less stressed and more energetic after vacations, according to the Journal of Occupational Health. That’s all these trips home really are: mini-vacations with the same long-term benefits. Why don’t people take more advantage of them?

I believe it may have to do with the notion of going home frequently being an indicator of somebody being too dependent on their parents. I’ll concede that students should not have to feel obligated to go home every single weekend. They still should be able to experience college life. I’m not advocating students go home all the time, but every so often could be beneficial.

It’s about a lot more than just being dependent on parents. It is about reconnecting with friends back home, escaping the noise and crowds and not feeling too bogged down by the college scene. Those are all good things. Chico’s fun, but it does reach a point when it gets to be too much, at least for me.

I am aware monthly home visits aren’t going to be for everyone. Some live in difficult family situations they would rather not return to and some have jobs that require them to be in Chico most of the time. Both of these reasons are valid. I also don’t want to force people to go home for the weekend just because I’ve enjoyed it. I just want people to know they have that option, and they shouldn’t have to feel ashamed of it. I would suggest most people, especially those still adjusting to college life, to try it for at least once a month. You might find it works to keep your mind at ease.

Nick Sestanovich can be reached at [email protected] or @Nsestanovich on Twitter.