Living in a dorm room is an adventure to say the least. In a sense, you’re sharing one room, a 20’ x 30’ shoebox, with a whole other person (and a bathroom with everyone on your floor, ew). This lifestyle is definitely not for the faint of heart, from hitting your head too many times to count on your lofted bed, to setting off the fire alarm when turning on your heater. (That happened to me once.)

But, after a while, you always get used to your little home away from home; at least until winter break arrives.

After spending a month sleeping in your own room, in your own bed, with your own bathroom, you tend to forget what dorm life is like.

Once you get to shower again without having to wear shoes, all of the progress you’ve made is gone. You’ve reverted back to average, everyday life, and that is a huge mistake for the American college freshman. These are the five thoughts you have stepping back into your dorm room after winter break.

1. Does it smell weird in here?

After your "shoebox" has been closed and vacant for the whole month, it smells kind of stale. It's the first thing you notice when you open your door, and you can't help but think, Oh no, did I forget to take out the trash before i left? Did I leave something in the fridge? Did the heater explode?

2. Did this closet shrink?

When I came back from winter break, it was so hard to fit everything back into my tiny broom closet. I'm still truly impressed by "first semester Logan" and how she expertly stacked everything because "second semester Logan" is still stumped.

3. How did I use this bathroom for the last five months?

The showers are too small, I have to wear shower shoes all the time, the floor is always wet, and girls leave their hair everywhere. (I don't even want to touch the shower curtains if we're being honest.)

4. I'm never going to get this room on the right temperature again

The heating and air-conditioning units are turned off over break, and, well, now our's isn't exactly turning back on. But, we've already set off the fire alarm once, and it cannot, will not, happen again. I guess the plan is just to shiver our way through the rest of winter.

5. Well, I guess I kind of missed my room

It may be a freezing cold shoebox, but it's still your freezing cold shoebox. Everyone's dorm room holds a special place in their heart.

Even though it may seem gross and cramped and smelly, enjoy the dorm life, because you only live it once!