It’s about that time of year again. Spring semester comes around and we’re all excited to be back at school, away from our nagging parents and back to our friends and freedom. But as the first couple of weeks pass by, you realize it: Christmas is over, but spring semester means spring weather and spring weather means shorts and flip flops and sun. Then you realize you’re wrong. Spring semester does not necessarily mean that until April, at which point you’re practically done. So now you’re just excited for summer because, really, who isn’t? Summer brings so many things we’ve all needed for so long.

For starters, we need sun.

Don’t get me wrong, I love sweaters and boots. Sweaters, leggings and boots are my go-to in the winter. But four layers to protect me from the harsh wind, the awful snow and the depressing clouds is not the go-to. It’s like the opposite of the go-to. We need sun; it warms our bodies and our souls. We need to be able to walk outside and feel the sun hit our faces. We need to be able to walk out of our front doors unafraid of possible wind burn or frost bite.

We need sleep.

It’s a fact that college kids get substantially less sleep than every other age group. I’m not going to include a statistic because there are so many and everyone already knows it. And you notice that, for some reason, professors’ favorite class slots are the early ones. Because it isn’t hard enough to balance six classes, tons of homework and work, let’s make it so that we have to be up at 8 a.m. every weekday. “We’re preparing you for the real world.” Well right now I don’t want the real world -- I want a nap.

We need a break.

Related to not getting enough sleep -- the amount of work makes you want to bury yourself in a blanket and never come out. The expectations set for students are so high that many people drive themselves into the ground trying to meet them. Many classes warn you by saying, “If you aren’t planning on dedicating at least 10 hours a week to this class, you should just drop it." How are you supposed to do that for six classes? Summer means no school work, which equals a much needed brain break.

We need our family.

As annoying and suffocating as our families can be, we need them. We also want to spend time with them. By the time spring semester comes around, we miss the feeling of being home. We miss the home cooked meals, the hugs from our moms and sharing the couch with our pets. Because, really, nowhere can replace your home.

So yes, we love the freedom and we love college. But summer is so close we can almost taste it. The sun and the sand and the late sunsets are so much better than rain, snow and coldness.