For nearly all students at Stanford and other quarter-system schools, the struggle of watching your friends take finals, pack up belongings and start summer activities is real. Hometown group chats become active again with old inside jokes and planned meet-up dates.

Text messages show up, one after the other, asking, “When are you home?” No matter the number of times you’ve repeated the answer, people forget about the late nature of Stanford’s quarter system. While tapping through Snapchat stories of last-day raves and empty dorm rooms, at least one of the following thoughts probably pops into your head.

1. Wait, you’re a sophomore now?
2. I have a good idea! Come visit meeeee.
3. No, I won’t be home then. Nope, not then either.
4. Can I pretend my first midterm was the final?
5. At least I get five more weeks with the college squad.
6. It’s only halfway through the quarter.
7. *Sends pictures of Cali weather to every contact in phone*
8. Guys, you can’t do fun things until I’m home.
9. Hm, internship or Camp Stanford?
10. I’ll just be sitting here crying while I finish my p-set.
11. Whyyyyyyyy???
12. The quarter system is a punishment.
13. I will survive. I will survive. Hey, hey.
14. I can go to the beach and do homework, so ha!
15. I love learning. I love learning. I love…
16. Please don’t post cute group photos on Instagram.
17. Just think, mid-August is when your semester starts.
18. *Furiously starts planning weekend trips*
19. About 3,024,000 seconds until I’m free.
20. Will I feel like you when the quarter’s done?
21. Well, we Stanford kids are all in the same boat.

Contact Emily Schmidt at egs1997 ‘at’ stanford.edu if you have additional thoughts about your friends from home.