Living on campus at college is great -- the feeling of independence, you can't get in trouble with your parents, sleeping all day without judgement, etc. Moving out of your parents house at such a young age feels like a huge accomplishment. Sure, you may not be saving as much money as you could be by living with your parents, but moving out early can have a lot of pros. Some college students party all night without their parents ever knowing or being able to lecture or discipline them. Sleeping all day without your parents barging into your room to check if you're sick or demand you empty the dishwasher.
Of course, college isn't all it's cracked up to be. Three ten-page papers assigned all at once? Three more exams to study weeks for? No thanks. The stress adds up quickly and potently. Sooner or later you'll start to run out of options on your meal plan, even though the food isn't that spectacular. At least it's better than the food that is served in high school. Either way, you have to eat. Homesickness can start to set in quickly.
Even though the freedom of college is nice, coming home for the holidays is a blessing. Seeing your family and old friends after months in a small dorm room is amazing. The majority of the semester is filled with texts, calls, and video calls between you and your loved ones, but when the holidays roll around, you get to hug your friends and kiss your family.
College is lonely without your furry friends (I mean often we can have fish, but don't you miss those wet kisses from your fur babies?). Walking in the door as you come home again for the first time all year and hearing the pups barking and the cats meowing. The dog jumps up and down, practically tackling you with love. Honestly, seeing your pets may be better that seeing your parents (no offense, mom and dad).
The best part of coming home may not be seeing your friends and family or your cats and dogs. No. One of the best parts of coming home is the food. Not only do college students often start running out of food at the end of the semester, but the food kind of sucks. Personally, my school has a good number of options, so it's not hard to find what you'd like to eat, but the quality is nothing compared to a home-cooked meal. A steak your dad had made on the grill? Homemade soup in the Crock Pot? A fancy pot roast? I mean, even a pot of mashed potatoes makes my mouth water.
All that be said, I'm very excited to be returning home this holiday season. The gifts won't necessarily be the best part.
