After all the stress of school, you just want to get into your summer break and hang out with friends you haven't seen in a while. Maybe you'll even visit friends you made while in college (if you aren't a broke college student). Some of us aren't that lucky, though. Some of us had to take summer classes, and by the time the class was over, summer was as well. There's nothing better than having a little weekend road trip to make the summer seem a little longer. This little weekend getaway to Wisconsin was the perfect thing to help transition into the end of my summer break.

1. Thinking time

In traveling the four hours north to Wisconsin, it gave me that alone time with myself that I've so desperately been missing. I got the chance to scream the lyrics to some of my favorite songs, but I also was able to cry my eyes out (while being a safe driver) to some of the songs that got me through my darker days.

2. Navigation skills

While I may have used Google maps to get all the way from my house to my destination, I still got to put my navigation skills to use and even learned a little thing or two: don't go through Chicago during rush hour, and make sure to invest in an I-pass for the toll roads.

3. Realization

You would never expect to find your home away from home on the first visit to a place, but sometimes fate is a little funny like that. My best friend's mother, who was my mom away from home, moved to Wisconsin, and the minute I saw the new house...I felt at home again, just like I did at their home in Evansville. I saw his sister sitting out on the front porch as soon as I pulled into the drive. I got the biggest hug from his mom, almost making me cry. Everything felt like it was in place again and like I was right where I was supposed to be.

4. True joy

While having not spoken to my best friend in over a month, it is good to know that I don't need him around all the time to still be able to hang out with his mom and sister. The weekend was filled with so many fun events, and it led to true happiness and many memories that will always be cherished between us all.

5. Saying goodbye

The hardest part of this whole trip, other than the hello hug, was saying goodbye. This family was the biggest impact in my life down in Evansville, and it breaks my heart every time I have to say goodbye. I know they are only a short text, call or drive away, but it's still a goodbye (for now). Saying goodbye means the summer is ending, and my time has expired.

It is time for me to get back to the world of exams and due dates and the daydreaming of the next time I can take my next road trip to Wisconsin. It was the best thing that has happened all summer because it has helped me grow as a person, even in the short amount of time that I spent away.

Finally, if you ever see this, I want to thank you once again for loving me as one of your own and taking me under your wing in some of my darkest days. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for helping me strengthen my values and morals as a woman and for showing me what to look for in a man.