Now that I'm back at Berkeley, I realized that I really did miss this place. Sitting in my dorm room overlooking People's Park, listening to drunks yell at each other, breathing in the crisp night air, Berkeley feels very much like a home away from home. I thought about it and came to the conclusion that there are five reasons that I'm so glad I'm back.

1. Dorm Living

Yes, I recognize that living in the dorms sucks sometimes. It has communal bathrooms, little personal space, sparse kitchen essentials, etc etc. However, living in a dorm really helps build friendships and connections with people from all over the world (I have two international students as roommates), and it's really nice to be able to hang out at any time since we live so close to one another. We can do things together as a floor, and generally enjoy each other's presences and get along well.

2. The Ease of Getting Food

While the food may not be as of good quality all the time as back home, it's much, much easier to get. Instead of having to drive out somewhere to find someplace to eat, restaurants and shops are everywhere within walking or bus distance. I love it and hope I can find a place to live in after college where this access remains.

3. Freedom!

While I'm very grateful for my parents for taking care of me, being back at Berkeley means more freedom to do whatever I want. I decide when I go out, I decide what to eat, I decide when to sleep. It's really refreshing sometimes, nothing really more to be said.

4. Public Transit

Back in Los Angeles area, we don't really have the luxury of a decent public transit system. With AC transit and the BART, getting around is so much easier. Not needing to drive is really great and I don't even think I want to drive anymore.

5. The Joys of Learning

No, this is not sarcasm. While sitting around doing nothing but BuzzFeed and YouTube is really nice, it gets old after a few weeks. I definitely need some sort of mental stimulation after a certain point, and going back to school is definitely doing that to me. I will probably change my mind in a few days though.

So there we are. Five reasons being back at Berkeley is a good thing. Although I'm sure I can think of many bad things, perhaps I'm trying to convince myself.