Ah, yes. After 3 months of communal bathrooms, lumpy twin mattresses, questionable dining hall food, and having the eternal argument going on in your mind over whether to go to class or not, you have finally made the excursion back to your stomping grounds; home. Home is where the heart is, they say, but in this case, home is where Thanksgiving break, among other amazing things, is being celebrated this week:

1. Not having to wear shower shoes. Bare feet in a shower is something I undeniably missed while I was at school. Theres nothing more comforting than showering without flip flops without fear of developing a suspicious fungus on the bottom of your foot. It's the little things, ya know?

2. Reuniting with your friends is like a soldier coming home from war video. Multiple texts and FaceTimes each week finally become reality. The anticipation of seeing each other leads up to the best hug, ugly happy tears, and the start of the who-has-the-best-college-story competition.

3. Sleeping in your own bed is a luxury. 3 months of uncomfortably sleeping on a 120-year-old mattress tends to get incommodious. There's nothing quite like missing your bed at home until you discover the vulgar and foreign stains that linger on your dorm mattress. So, coming home to a queen sized, clean-sheeted bed feels comparable to this:

4. 2-ply toilet paper is a gift. Being home for the Thanksgiving holiday makes one extremely appreciative of what they have, and 2-ply toilet paper is what I am thankful for. I don't understand why colleges think using mock sandpaper is appropriate to suffice our bathroom needs, but I have realized that something as simple as toilet paper is one of many things I didn't take for granted at home until now.

An actual picture of a bathroom on my campus.

5. I have clean laundry. *Sniff sniff*. What is that smell? Clean laundry. Studies and other activities such as anything besides doing laundry at school tend to pile up, as do the dirty clothes in my laundry basket. Being home is where Mom comes to the rescue, and my clothes no longer acquire the aroma of sweat, stale beer, and a hint of despair.

6. The Freshman 15 makes an impromptu visit again. After thinking I have hit my weight-gain plateau, home-cooked meals have decided otherwise. There's no other explanation other than you simply cannot say "no" to any of the home cooked meals your family makes. That is just so wrong.

7. Already having prepared answers for all the college-related questions. Yes I like school. Yes classes are hard. Yes the football games are fun. Yes I've blacked out. Yes I missed home. Yes I magically turned 21 at college. Yes I made friends. Yes I gained weight. Yes I momentarily forgot how to drive at home. Yes. Mhm. Yes. No, I don't have a boyfriend.

My Thanksgiving day outfit.

8. Yes, momentarily forgetting how to drive. Bear with me, hometown. I have not sat in the driver's seat in 3 long months. Yes, I may swerve a little, come a little too close to the rear end of your car, and park horribly enough to take up 3.5 parking spots, but we all have our flaws.

9. Being surrounded by your loved ones. Is it even an Odyssey article if you don't sign it off with a heartwarming ending? Guess not. You definitely know you're home for Thanksgiving when theres nothing that compares to the feeling of being with your family. They make coming home so enjoyable, and this past week was one for the books, Thanks fam, you rock.

Now off to three weeks of nonstop studying for finals!