College is a great time for a variety of reasons, however, there are points where we all need a break and are ready to come home and hide away from it all. The holidays are one such particular time as they fall in the latter half of the term when everyone just needs a break from the pile of assignments and the 15 million other commitments they have swirling around them. So, I present the signs of the times that it is time to go home for the holidays.

1.) You have the craving to be in a place where you are alone and no one can find you.

The social aspects of college are fantastic, you get to live and learn with your friends 24/7. However, sometimes it becomes a little too much socializing as there is always a friend who wants to do something or a roommate around. I am the type of person who has a hard time saying no to spending time with others if they are around, however, I also get exhausted by having to be “on” all the time. Eventually, I just want to be able to shut the door to keep everyone but myself out, but I can’t do that until I am back home in my own room where no one can bother me, except my mom when it is time for dinner.2.) You're really missing your friends back at home.

2.) You start planning all the things you want to do with your friends from home.

You might be wanting space from all your friends at college, but at the same time you haven’t seen your friends from home in three months and you are beyond excited to spend as much time with them as possible. For me, I can’t wait for my friends and I to continue our tradition of baking holiday cookies together and our plans that have turned into a tradition for New Year’s Eve.

3.) Your mom begins to ask you what you want to eat when you are home.

One of the best parts of being home at any time of the year is the home-cooked meals which are such a welcome break from the food you get at the dining hall every day or the random meals you manage to cook for yourself, or just eating at your regular collection of fast food places. But then coming home for the holidays, there is even more, food to look forward to that is a part of the celebration.

From the festive feast on Thanksgiving to the lavish spreads put together for the other winter holidays celebrated by your family. Food is something I think most people can agree that they associate with being at home with family, and no matter how much they may get on your nerves sometimes, there is something genuinely comforting about sitting down around a table to share a meal together at this time of the year

4.) Coming home to your pets.

It is a modern cliché that people get overexcited when they pass a dog on the street. I think this is even more applicable to college students who are living away from their dogs, cats, and other pets. My excitement over dogs on the street builds in the last couple of weeks before I come home because I know I am so close to being reunited with my own pup. Then there is nothing better than taking him on walks around the neighborhood, snuggling together, and taking an unnecessary amount of photos of him to send to my friends and to have to look back on when I have to go back to school.

5.) Looking forward to being back in your hometown.

Admittedly, everyone’s relationship with their hometown may be a bit complicated, however my hometown is a place that is near and dear to my heart. I love driving around pass favorite local landmarks, or returning to my favorite shops and restaurants around town, a huge part of the comfort of being home is the physical features of the place.

Seeing the mix of colored trees in the horizon that pull your eyes up to the notice the magnificence of the snow-capped mountains that lay beyond. Plus not to mention the bodies of that are in abundance. Each time I come home I feel fortunate that there is a giddy sense of excitement that washes over me. I think while it is hard going to school so far from home, for me one of the best parts of coming back is that now I associate my hometown and being home with fond memories, gratitude, family, friends, and relaxation while leaving the stresses associated with school on the other side of the country.

I hope that you have a wonderful time being home for the holidays wherever you ever find that feeling of home to be for you.