I, like most, spent the majority of my Christmas break back in my hometown. When coming home from college, it can be awkward rejoining your family. You've missed out on certain things, you've become a new person, and your lifestyle has changed completely.

Coming home, you think that you've learned everything possible from your hometown, friends, and family. You think that since you've known these people and lived here for most of your life, there is nothing new to learn. Boy, are you mislead.

So here's a list of five things that I have learned from spending my Christmas break back in my hometown with my loved ones.

1. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Over the break, I ate breakfast with my grandparents almost every day. I started looking forward to it, as did they because it gave us a chance to catch up on what has been going on and discuss different aspects of life. I've discussed with them some of the most pressing matters of my life over breakfast.

2. It's okay not to hang out with your friends while you are home.

After graduation, you and all of your friends go their separate ways and sometimes lose contact with each other. Coming home, you feel pressured to spend as much time with them as possible to make up for lost time. If they are truly your friends, they will understand that you can't spend time with them. You time home is limited, and while they are important, your family comes first.

3. Take a few days to get stuff done.

After an exhausting semester, all we want to do is sleep and be lazy. And while that feels amazing, it can also lead us to boredom. Take this time off to do something, anything. Get a job, take music lessons, read a book. Don't waste your break, because getting back into your routine once classes start is so much harder if you're used to being lazy.

4. It's okay to miss "home."

When the dorms shut down and you're stuck either home or homeless, sometimes you start missing your new life, your new home. After spending months getting adjusted, and then leaving, a wave of homesickness can start to hit. It's okay to feel this way. It's normal.

5. Spend time with your parents.

They miss you. Sometimes they have a funny way of showing it, but they do. They spent every day for 18 years taking care of you and watching you. So jumping from that to seeing you maybe once a month at most can be hard on them. Spend some time with them while you can because they won't always be there.

While Christmas break is a time to relax and enjoy time to yourself, don't become a total bum. Before you know it, the semester will be right around the corner