With holiday breaks quickly approaching I thought I’d take the

opportunity to talk about the infamous “back home boo.”

With holiday breaks quickly approaching I thought I’d take the opportunity to talk about the infamous “back home boo.”

You know that person back home who you never quite had closure with.

They could be your high school sweetheart, a past summer fling, or maybe even someone you connected with after high school but never gave it a chance because of the distance. Whatever the situation, we all have one.

I discussed this topic with a mixed group of both male and female Aggies and they agreed that the love interests back home can be separated into two categories: The “back home joint” and the “girl/boy next door.”

The Back Home Joint: Someone who knows up front what the situation is. When you’re home you spend time with them and when you’re not home you’re seeing other people. There’s a sort of friendship bond at the base of it because you two have known each other for a long time. They could be an ex, or someone that you tried something with but ultimately figured out that nothing could come from it. He/she is usually still at home because they went to community college and have yet to finish, had a baby, or for whatever reason they just couldn’t make it out of the neighborhood.

The Girl/Boy Next Door: A person back home that has the potential to be more. You know how the song goes, “If I would have knew the girl next door would have been you…” In this case the only reason it hasn’t been taken to the next step is because of the distance.

He/she is usually attending college somewhere else and your hometown is the only common base.

No matter what your particular situation may be the situation should always be handled with care. In situations such as these you do not want to make things too messy so honesty is always the best policy.

During the discussion one man pointed out, “Never mess up the back home joint because they’ll always be there. She’s the one joint I’m most likely not to lie to.”

So what happens when you find yourself in a relationship? How do you handle going back home for break knowing that you’ll run into your “back home boo?” After some debate, the men and women were able to agree on a few cardinal rules:

1. Let the “back home boo” know before you get home that you’re in a relationship.

“Most of the time she’ll be able to handle it because she knows the deal. She’ll be upset that you messed up the flow but at the same time she wants you to be happy. In the back of her mind though she’s probably thinking it’s only a matter of time before your new girl bites the dust like the ones in the past,” said one guy.

2. No matter what, don’t let the back home boo mess up your functional relationship. There’s a reason why they are just a boo or “joint.” It won’t work and you’ll find yourself alone.

“I wouldn’t get back with my ‘back home joint’ because we broke up for a reason,” another man said.

3. Don’t put yourself in situations during break, where you and him/her will be alone.

“I usually work it so my boys know not to leave me alone with her. It’s inevitable that we’ll run into each other because we have a lot of mutual friends, its just about making smart decisions,” said the third young man.

4. Know that the situation works in reverse as well, you too can very well be the back home boo. Always know your place and don’t be naive to the fact that 9 times out of 10 there are other people involved.

Also, it’s crucial that you don’t slip up and get too attached during break. Don’t get all caught up in the holiday season and forget that it’ll be back-to-reality come January. Because as sure as a new year will begin, you’ll have to come back to Aggieland, and you two will once again have to go your separate ways.

On the flip side, if you’ve been at school for a couple years and still haven’t found anyone who compares to them, that could be a sign that you two should go ahead and take that plunge. With good communication, dedication and a little creativity, a long distance relationship could work. You don’t have to see a person everyday for it to be a healthy relationship.

This is especially true with the “girl/guy next door” because sometimes, as one young lady pointed out, that’s where you’ll end up after graduation. “At the end of the day I’m not staying here in Greensboro, I’m going to find a job closer to back home.”

• Sylvia Obell, Managing Editor