When I packed my bags to begin life as a college student this past summer, I was absolutely terrified and could not fathom living independently miles away from home. Five months later I am once again packing my bags and getting ready to go to college, except this time I am no longer plagued by the uncertainty and fear that consumed me before my first semester. Even though I'm more than ready to go back and excited to return to my second home, my first semester gave me some newfound appreciations about being home that I'll be sad to leave behind.

1. Home cooked meals

Pizza, french fries, and ice cream every day may sound like a dream come true at first, but Ernie Davis couldn't trump mom's cooking even if it changed Chicken Tender Thursdays to Chicken Tenders Everyday. It doesn't help that we're essentially paying $15 for each of these frustratingly inadequate meals.

2. Showering without shoes

This is one of those small luxuries I never realized could matter so much. It isn't the best thing about being home nor is it the worst thing about being in college, but it's just inconvenient and a little weird if you really think about it (which I try not to do). It's not just the shoes but what they represent: the fact you're sharing a bathroom with 40+ people and are basically living in a home for all sorts of microorganisms. Are hot pink flip-flops with holes in them really enough to protect me from so many germs?

3. Doing absolutely nothing

As someone who spent the last week of fall semester studying for five finals while battling flu-like symptoms, being able to lie in bed all day with no schoolwork seemed almost too good to be true. Now it's back to the real world and spending countless hours studying at Club Bird.

4. Not having to walk everywhere in the snow

At Syracuse, I was walking an average of six to seven miles a day- and no, this does not include the daily trek up the Mount steps. The worst part of it was having to constantly walk uphill and in blizzard conditions. If the temperature is less than the amount of fingers I have, why is it necessary for me to leave my dorm?

5. Pizza

This one is for my fellow New Jerseyians and New Yorkers. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Domino's, Varsity, Papa Johns, or the other pizza places in the area, but they just do not compare to freshly made pizza in New Jersey or NYC. I didn't realize I could appreciate NJ pizza more than I already did until I had to deal with the floppiest excuses for pizza at Graham Dining Hall.

6. Bagels

Between pizza and bagels, I don't know which one a Jersey native misses more. If only attending school in New York meant actually having New York bagels. I could go on and on about my love for Jersey bagels, but no words can ever truly articulate how much better they are than all other bagels. However, I do strongly recommend you try them if you haven't already because it is truly a life-changing experience.

I love my college friends but my home friends are just that: home. They're the people I grew up with and that's a bond nothing will ever replace. I always thought that coming home after an entire semester away would make things different, but it was like nothing changed. We survived a semester without each other and I know we can do it again, but that doesn't make saying "see you later" any easier.

8. Diners

At this point I could honestly make a separate list of things I'll miss from New Jersey. If you're in this state, there is probably a diner within a two mile radius of you. Whether you're craving chocolate chip pancakes, a salad, cheesecake, or even a milkshake, a diner can almost always satisfy your needs. I've spent an alarming amount of money on Diet Coke and french fries because of our local diner and I will continue to do so as long as I have money in my bank account.

9. Not having to pay to do laundry

If you're lucky enough, you don't even have to do laundry when you're home because your mom does it for you. Regardless, whoever is doing your laundry most likely doesn't have to pay to do so. It might just cost $2.75 to do a load of laundry but money adds up; by your fourth load, you've paid the equivalent of six Insomnia cookies, a trip to DJs, or the taxi back home. As a student on a college budget, I am more than grateful to not have to pay in order to have clean clothing.

10. My bed

I could not count the amount of times I spent wishing I could just be in my own bed last semester. I've definitely made up for the lost time over break but it's one of the small things I'll miss the most. There's no place like home, and there is no place like your bed.

11. Sleep

I am yet to find a college student who is not sleep deprived to a certain extent. Between the huge workload, the constant ruckus of teenagers being teenagers, the sounds of construction, and so much more, there is just no room for the recommended eight hours of sleep. The only positive aspect about the whole situation is that we all understand each other so it's perfectly acceptable to sneak in a twenty minute nap at the Panasci lounge between classes.

This would probably be a good time to mention that this list is in no particular order and last definitely does not mean least. Even though it's strange living with family again after months of being independent, it's nice having a mom who takes care of you, a dad who takes you on all sorts of activities, and a sister who's your best friend. We may have had the occasional conflicts but I love these people more than anything and it's never easy to say goodbye.