Fall break just ended at my school, and I was one of the few kids that didn’t get to go home for the weekend. It was a weekend full of Netflix, sleep, and no roommates. It was great, but after seeing everyone back at school, talking about seeing their family and friends, I realize how much I would love to go home right about now. I’m from St. Louis, a place that I never thought I would miss. But after living there for 18 years and then one day picking up my life and moving it to Texas, there are certain things I miss about home.

1. Being able to drive

My 16-year-old brother got the luxury of getting my car when I left, so that meant that I would not be road-tripping my car down to Texas. As much as I miss my actual car, I miss my freedom more. I miss being about to jump in the car and go meet my friends and I would give anything to have the freedom of leaving campus without having to bug my roommate to drive me or paying for an Uber.

2. The Valley

Back home we have this place called The Valley. It a hub in the middle of town where all of the best stores and restaurants are located. It’s 10 minutes from my house and it’s where most of my friends and I would spend our weekends.

3. Bread Co.

For those of you who don’t know, the restaurant you all know and love as Panera, started as St. Louis Bread Company. If you ever come to St. Louis, you will notice that there is a Panera on every corner and if you ever need help finding one, just follow the group of cars heading there around lunchtime.

4. Working WiFi

The WiFi on campus isn’t the best. It fails to connect all the time and the service in my dorm room sucks. I cannot wait until I can rely on my WiFi to get me through more than one episode of "The Office" again.

5. The leaves changing colors

Here in Texas, fall is really delayed. I’m used to all of the windows in my house being opened and the AC turned off in late September. This also means that everything here is still green. Green is pretty, don’t get me wrong, but the array of colors lining each road back home is way prettier.

6. Certain restaurants

I spent the past four years of high school going out to eat wayyyyyy more than I’d like to admit, but now I miss all of those places where I didn’t even need a menu to know what I wanted.

7. My kitchen

I love to cook, so living in a dorm room with no kitchen is a struggle. The only meals I can make are those that require a microwave or no appliances at all. I already have a list of things I want to make when I get home, and none of them require a microwave.

8. My large bed

Every since I was old enough to have a “big girl bed,” I had a queen-sized bed. I could sprawl out in any direction and still not have any of my limbs hanging off the edge. Now, I am confined to the XL twin beds that my school provides, and let me just say, I cannot wait to sleep in my large bed again.