Going to school in Syracuse, N.Y. is great and all, but there will always be one thing missing. You are thinking my family, right? Yeah of course I miss them, but what I am thinking of is Stewart's shops! You don't know what Stewart's is? Well you are missing out! Stewart's is a chain of stores selling varieties of goods, primarily ranging from Upstate New York all the way to Vermont. It's not just that though; it's a landmark for anyone from the Upstate area. And although I could think of hundreds of reasons to love Stewart's, here are my top five.

1. The coffee.

I don't think I have ever heard anyone say anything bad about Stewart's coffee. I know I prefer it over any Starbucks/Dunkin' Donuts coffee. The coffee tastes incredibly fresh, and is the perfect (fairly cheap) alternative to some of the more expensive coffee shops around town.

2. The hot dogs/sandwiches.

They might not look the most appealing, but I promise that they are the best hot dogs/sandwiches ever. If you are desperate for something to eat, go buy one of these. You won't be disappointed.

3. Convenience.

Forgot to buy some milk? Just take a quick run to Stewart's. It's the perfect last-minute stop, when you forget to get something at your big grocery store. Who wants to wait in a line for 20 minutes at Price Chopper, when you can get whatever you need in less than five minutes at Stewart's?

4. The ice cream.

I could go on and on about their ice cream. It's so delicious! They have a ton of different flavors to choose from: strawberry, mint chocolate chip, chocolate chip cookie dough, brownie cookie sundae, salted caramel, death by chocolate, and so many more! If you haven't tried Stewart's ice cream, you haven't lived. As a bonus, you can also get ice cream for even cheaper on certain holidays!

5. They are everywhere!

Last but not least, Stewart's is everywhere in Upstate New York. If you are from the city, consider Stewart's an equivalent to your Starbucks. You can't drive a few miles without finding a Stewart's. So if you are craving any, or all of the items I listed, you won't have to travel far! For those of you not in an area with a Stewart's, here's some good news: they are expanding!

So if you are in town, make sure to stop at Stewart's. You'll understand why we Upstate New Yorkers love it so much.