"There's no place like home" and "Home sweet home" are timeless sayings that have been passed on from generation to generation. Home is a special word that holds so many memories, with sweet and sour feelings. College is very bittersweet; you're on your own with tons of freedom, but you're on your own with tons of responsibility. Home has a comfortable feeling of security for most. Being at school has made me realize all the things I have taken for granted growing up before knowing what it's like to move out. Here's a list of the things I never thought I'd miss.
1. Home-cooked meals.
No one cooks as well as Mom and Grandma, or even Dad and Grandpa. The home-cooked pies, pasta, chicken, and anything edible. The college dining hall is good, but doesn't come close to comparing.
2. Your bed.
No matter how many sleeping pads you put on your bed, it will never be like the bed you grew up sleeping in. If you're like me, going from a standard to a twin is very difficult. The best sleep ever gotten is at home. The comfort of being able to wake up with a rat's nest of a bedhead is the great feeling of a night well slept.
3. Laundry machines.
Oh, the infamous college laundry room. If you've never done your own laundry before (like me!) here's a learning experience for you.
4. Your own room.
Your roommate may be your best friend, or not, but having a room to yourself is much easier and more relaxing. Now, if you grew up sharing with a sibling, at least you knew them your whole life and had some idea of how they sleep.
5. Your family.
Whether you're lovey-dovey or down each other's throats all the time, you will miss them. Sometimes the distance is best for the family; "absence makes the heart grow fonder," but other times it's hard to bare. Call them and tell them you love them.
6. Bare feet.
College dorm floors have one word that describes them: ew. There are so many germs on them that I do not recommend walking barefoot outside of your own room. Also, don't forget the famous shower flip-flops! Never go into the bathroom without shoes, unless of course, you wan't some type of foot fungus. You will miss being able to talk around and shower barefoot...give it a few hours.
7. Your pet.
We could never forget about our best friends. The ones who listen and cuddle with no questions asked. They lick our face when we're sad or they stare at us through the glass tank and pretend to understand everything about emotions.
8. High school best friends.
You pick up right where you left off when you go home, but those late-night trips you took all summer are on hold because you're in school three states away from each other. Remember all the good times of cake fights, mud fights, shopping trips, and prank wars. You spent your childhood locked in your houses and in school together, keep that friendship alive. Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and FaceTime or call when times get hard. They still love you.
9. Your shower.
Something taken for granted by almost everyone. The joy of stepping into a shower without flip-flops on and not needing to worry about holes in the curtain is spectacular. The comfort of your own shower is something indescribable. I miss singing in the shower without the fear of someone hearing me because my family already knows I'm tone deaf.
10. Quiet.
The dorms are so noisy at night. No one is on the same sleep schedule. At home, the parents and siblings are in bed early because they have work and grade school in the morning, so odds are I'm up the latest. Being able to go to bed whenever I want without any noise until 3 a.m. is a beautiful thing.
11. Less clothing.
For girls, the feeling of coming home and taking off their bras is the best feeling of the day. For boys, being able to take off their pants and walk around in boxers is so liberating. In college, even though you could technically do that, you don't want to creep out those you live with by being half naked all the time. Restricting that liberating feeling to just your room is a struggle, especially if you and your roommates aren't too close.
