A few weeks ago, the thought of summer excited me. In all honesty, it was all I could think about; sleeping past noon (way past noon), no schoolwork, laying out at the beach for an endless amount of hours, sun-kissed skin, mom's home cooked meals, the constant supply of Acai bowls (West Side Dining definitely does not serve those), and boundless adventures with my hometown friends. However, three weeks into summer vacation and I can't help but wish I was back at college. Don't get me wrong, I love not waking up at 8:30 AM for my business lecture but part of me is hoping that move-in day would come just a little bit sooner. Below is a list of things I miss most about college!

1. My College Friends

Words cannot even begin to describe how excited I was to see my hometown friends but after spending a whole year apart, with a completely new group of people, being apart from them this summer is one of the main reasons I miss college. While my college friends and I, have promised to see each other over the summer the sad truth is that many of us are in totally different states or even countries and hours apart. Whereas, during the fall and spring, all of my closest friends were either a floor above me or no further than a 5-minute walk away.

2. Freedom

Boy oh boy, where do I even begin? Don't get me wrong, I love my parents more than anything, I really do. But two weeks into summer the constant nagging over my messy room and dirty clothes are enough to wish I was back on campus. After, being independent and living without them for a whole school year, returning home and being under lock and key once more, is quite overbearing. Put simply, during the school year I can do whatever I want, go out whenever I want, with whoever I want, without having to ask for permission and that is something I am going to miss dearly during these next few months.

3. Dining Halls

I really can't believe I am saying this either. But, I would be lying if I said I didn't miss those late night nachos at West Side Dining or the Sushi Burritos at Jasmine because I really really do. In all honesty, having a meal plan is something that I miss a lot about college. At school, I don't ever have to cook, all the while having a wide variety of food at my fingertips or meal swipes, whenever I want. Mom, I love your home-cooked meals, it's just you aren't always home to cook and I am extremely lazy...

4. Living On a Budget

I don't know about you but in the summer time, I spend a lot more money than when I am at school. My university hosts a ton of extracurriculars along with fun activities, such as sports games, concerts, cooking classes, art classes... for free. During the summer, in order to do the aforementioned activities, you usually have to pay. In the summertime I never find myself looking for things to do but I always find myself with an empty wallet. College is definitely not economically friendly but there are some benefits!

5. Being Able to Walk Everywhere

Lastly, one of the things I miss the most about college is the fact that I am able to walk most places and the places that I am not able to walk to I can buy a bus ticket for no more than a dollar. During the school year, the fact that I didn't have a car seemed like such a hassle. But, because I don't drive and I am now at home in a relatively big town, not a college campus/town, not having everything within walking distance really sucks! And the 20 dollar train ticket doesn't make things much better.