As college students everywhere are pushing along through the semester, it is now break time for many of us. There are plenty of students excited to go home, to see family, friends, or maybe even pets. Others, however, are about to feel very... homesick.

Homesick, but going home? Exactly. For many students, college feels more like home than ever. Sure, we love a break from classes, but heading home leaves us feeling a little empty. Sure, we get to see mom and dad (and the cat), but for some reason, there's a part of us that would rather be at school eating mediocre cafeteria food and sleeping on an uncomfortable bed.

For some of us, it may be the freedom. Being at school feels like actually being an independent and (somewhat) functioning adult. Going home can feel like your adulthood is being ripped away and you're back to your "kid" status, regardless of your age. For others (like me) it could be the atmosphere of your hometown. For me, there just isn't a lot to offer at home, and school gives me so many more opportunities.

Probably the most obvious culprit is going home to realize how much things have changed. It could be simple things, like your favorite restaurant closing. However, it can also be emotional changes. Coming home to find out all of your high school friends have new friends, or that your dog has now become your dad's dog because you aren't home enough to see him. It could be seeing your high school sports team reach new levels without you. Even something as simple as your bedroom walls, which you painted lime green or bright pink when you were younger, has now been painted a neutral grey. Memories are slowly changed and erased, and being home suddenly doesn't feel right.

I love having the chance to go home and see my family (and my cat!), but I've come to realize that my home is now school. When I come home, there are some stories or jokes I want to tell so badly, but I know it won't make any sense. I want to sit at my favorite spot on campus, or go to my favorite restaurant. I notice that the things that I love aren't all waiting for me at home anymore. They say home is where the heart is, and for some of us, the place we call home isn't our "home."