In my three years of college, I have never spent a spring break away from home, so my opinion is clearly one sided. Since I am a college swimmer and the winter season is the peak of our training, I only get to spend four days at home over Christmas break. Four days. Even during those four days, I am still running around to swim practices, and by the time I have to leave again, I feel like I was never even home to begin with.

On social media, I see pictures of my friends traveling to all different tropical locations. In bathing suits, getting great tans, drinking fruity alcoholic drinks, partying from dawn till dusk, and truly having a blast. For a split-second, I envy them. I want to be where they are having a blast and a half. But then for some reason, I am perfectly happy being at home, siting in my bed watching Netflix.

My senior year I hope to go on a trip for spring break because it's the end of that chapter of my life, and what better way to conclude the chapter of your life that is dedicated to partying, your friends, and finding yourself than to go on vacation and party for literally seven days straight? But for these past three years, I am grateful that I got to come home because:

I spent time with my family.

I have learned to cherish the moments that I get to spend with my mom and dad. There was a period of my life (middle school and part of high school) where I, along with many of my peers, did not treat my parents the right way. I feel like now, I am trying to make up for all of those angsty, selfish teenage years because my parents are truly amazing. I love being able to have conversations with them, watch a family movie together, eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. When I'm away at school, I miss being able to just talk to my parents, or see them after a rough day.

I spent time with my friends from home.

These friends are different than your college friends. They've been with you since braces, your first kiss, your first boyfriend, discovering the art of makeup, proms, and your totally awkward stages. These friends are truly a different breed. They loved you before you had your life somewhat figured out. They loved you before you gave yourself a makeover. They loved you when your biggest concern was why the boy you liked hadn't texted you back yet (that may still be your biggest concern, and that's OK). They loved you then and they will love you now. These friends will 100 percent be in your wedding party; these friends have evolved to become your sisters.

I cuddled with my dog.

Whether it's a dog, a cat, a bird, a fish, a snake, a lizard, or a hamster, whatever your pet may be, you'll be grateful to have spent time with it. I miss this little bundle of joy more than anything in the world when I am away at college. She must think I am never coming back each and every time, which truly breaks my heart. As soon as she hears the rolling of my suitcase after a long stay, she knows that I am leaving again. I am forever grateful that my dog still loves me with all of her heart even though I always leave.That totally wouldn't fly with humans. If you left your best friend or sister for three months without texting or calling, they totally would not love you when you just showed up three months later. Shout-out to pets everywhere! You guys are the real MVP's.

I ate home-cooked meals.

If you're still experiencing the torture that is college food (I'm so sorry), than eating a home-cooked meal is an added bonus. If you are living in an apartment like me, eating a home cooked meal is still an added bonus. I don't know why, but cooking is not my cup of tea. My dad's cooking is like a gift from the gods. Literally amazing. I could write a book about it. Someone should write a book about it. I get to eat things like salmon, and steak, and shrimp (not the frozen shrimp either, the real, fresh shrimp). All of which I could buy and cook, but by the end of the month, I would starve to death since I would run out of money.

I sat on my couch and did nothing.

I did nothing. Nothing. You never do nothing in college. Yeah, you may Netflix binge for, like, three hours, or stay up all night and Netflix binge, but then the next day you have about three thousand, billion, gazillion things to do because you wasted away (maybe not wasted because Netflix is not a waste), but you threw away an entire day. But during this break, I sat on my couch and did nothing and there was no consequence for that. It was great.

I got my life in order.

Yes, I did sit on the couch and do nothing, but there was also time for me to do homework. I am actually ahead on schoolwork. I am never on time, let alone ahead with school work. Since I had no obligations, like work and classes and practice at 5am, I got to sleep in. I was able to catch up on sleep. I am never not tired, so this is a miracle. Yes, a worked out a few times, and did homework, and ran errands, and did laundry, but I am not exhausted and I consider that a win in my book.

After three years of college, when spring break hits, I am homesick and ready to spend some one-on-one time with my family, my friends, my dog, and my couch. I couldn't imagine going some place else and coming back still homesick, even more tired than before, and completely and totally behind on school work. I know you only live once and all, and college is a time to have fun, and its great life experience to travel. But getting to spend time at home is an experience I wouldn't trade for the world. I can say this because while I am an in sunny Florida for 98 percent of my Christmas break training, I would rather be at home with family.