While dorm life certainly has its perks, there are some things that you can only get from living at home.

1. Candles

I get that candles are banned in order to prevent idiots from burning down the dorms. But what about those of us who are responsible adults? Once upon a time, Yankee Candle was one of my favorite stores to browse. Nowadays, and thanks to my college’s "No Candles" rule, such browsing only leaves me depressed. Getting holiday themed scents was always one of my favorites ways to gear up for the autumn season, but now I have to settle for Glade plug-ins. What I wouldn’t give to be able to light up a good-sized, Harvest Yankee Candle!

2. Real Fridges

There’s just something satisfying about walking up to a full-sized fridge, opening the door, and peering into its yummy depths as cool air flows over your arms and face. Maybe that sounds overly-dramatic. Or maybe I’m just done having to crouch down and practically crawl into my mini fridge just to see inside of it, only to be reminded that there’s nothing in there. And when there is food to be put in the fridge, there isn't enough room. You can only fit so many tubs of Ben and Jerry's in the freezer, and "so many" isn't nearly enough. Basically, the small proximity of dorm rooms makes having a real fridge an unrealistic expectation, and that just sucks.

3. Walking To Different Living Rooms

Having to actually walk from room to room to retrieve items and do things was something that always annoyed my high school self. My bedroom was cozily situated on the second floor. This meant that every time I wanted a snack or to read a book on the living room couch, I had some 20 or 35 steps between me and my objective. Living in a dorm, I can visit my bathroom, kitchen, living room, and bedroom all at the same time, and all under 10 steps. There used to be walls separating these different areas of my life, and now that they’re gone, I miss them.

4. Homemade Meals

Don’t get me wrong – the college cafeteria has a larger selection than my kitchen at home ever did. However, this just goes to show that quantity never beats quality. I have very distinct memories of those savory, home-cooked meals from back home. My mom would start cooking dinner around 4, so the scent of dinner would waft through the house for a good hour before mealtime. That was one of my favorite parts of home living– smelling dinner long before eating it, and trying to guess what it was. In conclusion, the quality of home-cooked food beats the cafeteria’s variety any day!

5. Privacy

I have been blessed with two wonderful (intelligent, beautiful, and incredibly funny) roommates. We’ve become good friends, and I cherish all the fun times we’ve had together. That being said, I deeply miss the quiet solitude of my room back home. My room served as my gym, my library, my study, my studio, and so much more. It was nice being able to wear whatever, and do whatever I wanted without fear of judgement. Now I have to remain fully clothed at all times, and any attempts to do crunches or squats leads to mild embarrassment. Additionally, its really hard to procrastinate in the room without feeling guilty or judged by my always-on-top-of-things roomies.

6. Dogs

This one hardly needs any explanation, but I’ll do so anyway. Everyone knows that dogs are furry, therapeutic companions who calm the nerves and clear the stress. Back home, my beagle Dash was my napping buddy. Even though her train-like snoring kept me awake most nights, I miss her small little huffs and the way that she would inevitably steal my covers. She tolerated my unwanted gifts of hugs and kisses, and bore the tears and hurts that I would pour out to her. I miss the little goob, and the way that she would always sit right underneath me during meals, hoping to catch any crumbs that I would drop (which were plentiful). Not having those soft buddies to turn to in times of stress is sad, and I greatly miss my napping buddy.

7. Shouting Matches With Siblings

This one probably needs more explanation than the others. Having three sisters around the house led to the eventual need to speak to them. Obviously, getting out of bed and walking to their room made too much sense and required too much effort. Obviously. So the only clear option was to yell incessantly until they responded. As obnoxious as it was, it was also kinda fun yelling at each other in faux mad tones. Sure, you can kinda do that in the dorms with your room and wing mates. However, there's always that one R.A. who misses the joke and calls for backup. Having shouting matches with roomies won’t ever be as fun as screaming at your sister to come into your and turn off the fan for you, because you’re too lazy to walk the three feet and turn it off yourself.