First semester classes are over and finals week is just beginning. After a long semester of late nights, early mornings, and long weeks, everyone is ready for a much needed break. Despite the anticipation of spending time at home free of worrying about tests and finishing papers before 11:59 pm, there also will be things to miss about VCU.

1. Weird things are normal, normal things are weird

At VCU, strange things are always happening. From a T-Rex in the commons, in the library, or in the line for Canes, "Hmm, that's kinda weird" moments are a common occurrence. It's those days that campus is a little too quiet or things seem a little "too normal". Other college campuses might think incidents are very out of the ordinary but the VCU community knows it's part of what makes us unique and is something to miss when you're at home.

2. Friends

One of the best parts about college is being in close proximity to your friends. Thanksgiving break was long enough for the group chats to be hit with those "Man, I really miss you guys" messages and that break was only for a few days. Even though it might seem like the people you see all the time are people you could survive some time without, you probably can't. Make break a month long and you'll trade in the "I miss my friends at home" for "I miss my friends at school."

3. Being able to avoid people from high school

This may not be as applicable to upperclassmen, but most freshmen spent a majority of senior year tired of being with the same people four years straight. Unlike college, it's harder to meet new people or have a change in environment whenever you need it. Going home is like being thrown right back into the same place you wanted to leave six months earlier. While it's nice being back with old friends and in a familiar place, some people are better off hundreds of miles away.

4. The Diversity

This depends on where you are from, but the diversity is a factor to miss while on break. VCU's student body is filled with people from all sorts of backgrounds and personalities. Not only are there students from all over the country but all over the world that add to the uniqueness that VCU possesses. If you're going back home to somewhere like NOVA...well, the diversity isn't quite as obvious as VCU and covered in a lot more Sperry's and Vineyard Vines.

5. Not paying directly for food

Again, not as applicable to the upperclassmen but Saturday swipe day at Chick Fil A, late night runs to Panda Express, or Canes will definitely be missed. Yeah, maybe paying for Chili's with dining dollars isn't the classiest thing around but meal plans vs money from your bank account, I'll choose my meal plan. It's already paid for but show up at Subway after 2pm on a Sunday while on break, and your VCU card will do you no good. Bummer.

Even though break and some good home cooking sounds amazing, there will always be small parts of us that miss being at college. By the time break ends, we'll all be ready to go back to VCU until the next long break rolls around.