When you get to college, it's often looked down upon if you miss anything at all about high school. People tend to think that if you miss high school, it means you hate college, which is a huge misconception. You can miss things about high school and still love college. It doesn't make you a failure, and it definitely doesn't mean you aren't a successful college student.

I had the privilege of going to an amazing high school. Sure, there were definitely times when everyone claimed they hated the high school while we were there, usually for reasons outside of our control. Looking back, after experiencing almost a year of college and hearing about other people's high school experiences, I realize how blessed I really was. I understand that this isn't the case for everyone since everyone's high school experiences are different.

Don't get me wrong, I love college. I am an extroverted introvert, I'm extremely independent and I love my free time, but I also love being with friends, so you can imagine that college is like cloud nine for someone like me. I can do what I want when I want without feeling like I'm missing out, I don't have to go to school as long as I did in high school, and I have way more freedom, just like almost every other college student.

However, there are some things from high school that simply cannot be replaced.

One of the things I miss the absolute most is having strong relationships with most of my teachers. The extremely supportive and interactive teachers invested so much of their time and hearts into their students at my high school. I miss having them as both teachers and mentors since they were always there to give me advice when I needed it and always helped me keep a good head on my shoulders. In college, I've actually been pretty lucky and haven't had any "bad" professors, but the relationship between students and teachers is absent. In most of the classes, the professor will never even know your name.

I miss the friendships I had in high school. I hardly keep in touch with anyone from my high school now, with very few exceptions. Believe me, I've tried to stay in touch with people, but sometimes, people just completely move on and put high school in the past, and that's both expected and normal. I value the friendships I made in high school so much because they shaped me into who I am today and my friends were there by my side in some of the toughest times of my life. Sure, you make new friends in college, but it's not as easy as it was in high school since you spent so much time around the same people. A lot of times, the phone numbers are getting saved in your phone as "Girl next to me in accounting" and the contact will remain that way and never receive an actual name. Although many of my friendships from high school are no longer as present in my life, I miss the feeling of community I had, no matter what was going on in my life.

I miss my family and my dogs. I'm someone who has always been relatively close to their parents, but being away at college has really opened my eyes and made me appreciate and miss them that much more. Some nights, all you want to do is be at home with your family and have the company of your dogs. When your furry best friends aren't there at the door to greet you from a rough day, it makes the hard times that much harder. It's a part of life, but it's definitely something that has taken some time getting used to.

I miss my hometown. Everyone from my hometown claims to hate it, but they really don't understand how blessed we really are. Just like how your friends shape your life growing up, your hometown shaped the memories you've made. Sometimes all I want to do is be at home reading a book on the beach or taking the scenic route on my way home. My hometown is a part of who I am.

I love the college I'm at now; I love the atmosphere, the campus, the faculty, the school spirit, and so much more. Growing up and going to college is a part of life, and it is a change you learn to love.

There are some things in life that simply cannot be replaced and will remain as things we failed to appreciate while we had them.