As the end of my first year away from home approaches, I am left with nothing but utter excitement to see my parents for more than days at a time. For an only child raised in a close family, adjusting to life away from home has possibly been the hardest transition I've ever had to do. I grew and am now more independent than I ever thought I could be, and I am truly grateful for such a great freshman year. However, throughout the year there were many things I wanted to tell them but never did because of timing, a busy schedule or simply couldn't find the words.

So as the semester comes to a close here's a list of all the things I should've told my parents more often throughout my first year of college.

1. "I miss your cooking."

I never knew how much I would miss my mom's lasagna until I tried dining hall lasagna. Sure the food was decent the first week of school, but after having the same meals served everyday I would give anything to have a home-cooked plate of my mom's food. As someone who began to treat myself to fast food as an escape from the dining hall, I've learned to appreciate what a home-cooked meal really tastes like.

2. "I wanted to call you."

We all have times where we want to call our parents, but something always got in the way. Whether you were stuck in class or they were at work, there were many times when you didn't get to talk. But you wanted to. You wanted to call them when you bombed that test you studied for, or when you aced the test you reviewed on for hours. You wanted to call when a guy made you cry, or when a guy made you smile. You wanted to call them just to hear their voice, though it didn't always happen. But you wanted to.

3. "I miss home."

How could you not miss home even a little bit? I miss sleeping in on Saturday mornings and watching movies all day with them. I miss hearing about their days. I miss cooking dinner with them on Sunday nights. I miss kicking their butts at cards, even though it was a rare occasion. I miss the scent of my room. I miss the weird sound our heater always makes when it turns on. I miss the safe feeling I get playing video games in our living room as my mom cooks breakfast on Sunday mornings. College dorms can get cold and lonely, so tell your parents when you miss your cozy home.

4. "You are truly my best role model."

I look for my mom's hard work in myself when I'm working on a paper. I look for my dad's creative writing in me when I write for fun. I look for the love they've shown me growing up in my relationships. I look for their kindness and compassion in myself when I'm meeting strangers. My best qualities are theirs, and I'm truly grateful for all they've shown me to be.

5. "I love you"

These words we've all said to our parents hundreds of times growing up. When we hang up the phone, when we say goodbye and when we are on our way to school. But we need to take the time to tell them that we love them and why. Not just an "I love you" before you end a phone call, but a call that starts with it. "I love you mom, because you motivate me so much everyday. I love you dad because you're cheesy jokes never fail to make me smile." You can never tell someone you love them too much, so tell them as often as you can.