I can relate to Hannah Montana every day because I get the best of both worlds at school and at home.
1. Friends
My friend group at school is similar to my squad at home because we all support each other. Each person brings something different to the table and we seem to have fun together no matter what. Although I'm not hiding a big secret like Hannah Montana, I know I can trust of my friends with anything. Lilly and Oliver helped Hannah Montana live the complicated life that she did. Those are the friends worth keeping.
2. Food
At school it is extremely convenient. No recipes are required. I can have whatever I am in the mood for whenever I want with the swipe of my student ID. Dining halls for me are the Stewart's equivalent to Rico's Surf Shop for milkshakes and nachos. While my parents usually cook dinner for my family at home, I love to help out. It's fun for me even though it requires more effort. Home cooked meals remind me how much I appreciate the different flavors which are not always available in the dining halls.
3. Responsibilities
Since I am on my own at school, I have a lot of responsibilities that I take seriously in order to keep my life together. When I come home I have family responsibilities as well as individual tasks to be completed. Having to be more accountable for myself now will definitely benefit me in the future.
Although the details of the tasks differ at school and at home, the lessons that I learn share a common theme of making me more independent. Hannah Montana seemed to have a greater sense of responsibility than I'll probably ever have. She juggled two lives and I'm barely making it through one.
4. Holidays
Halloween in college is much different than trick-or-treating as a kid. Halloweekend is no joke. It's definitely more than one night and it's socially acceptable for students to wear crazy costumes around campus for the whole week. When November rolls around, dining halls often offer a special Thanksgiving meal before students head home for break.
As the most wonderful time of the year approaches, so do finals... bummer. But that doesn't stop us. Work hard, play harder right? When college students complain about being poor, the amount of Ugly Christmas Sweater-themed parties seem to be part of the problem. Coming home for winter break entails much celebration as Christmas Day draws nearer. When it comes to birthdays, I like to celebrate with my friends at school and friends and family at home. Hannah and Miley both got to celebrate, so who says there's a limit?
5. Freedom
The freedoms I have at school are different than the freedoms I have at home. Walking a short distance across campus requires a lot less effort than asking to leave the house to meet a friend. But since I've had to do more on my own while away from home, people understand that I can handle doing my own thing. Miley seemed to struggle with letting go of her Hannah Montana identity to the point where it was a struggle to fully be herself without the blond, rockstar side of her.
Being home for part of the year and at school for the rest of the time makes me feel like I live two lives. It is clear that the environment at school and culture at home vary in many aspects, but each experience makes me appreciate the ways of the other lifestyle. Sometimes I do wish my two worlds would collide to create perfection. I guess this is as close as I'll get to being Hannah Montana. A girl can dream.