The time between Thanksgiving and winter break can be absolutely brutal. We've tasted the sweet freedom of winter break, only to have to come back to school for just a few short weeks and be completely freaked out and stressed out. Once finals are over, though, it's back to some freedom and the chance to enjoy time with friends and family. With that being said, there are always certain things everyone misses about their home and things they look forward to being able to enjoy again, even if it's for a short time.

1. Home cooking

No matter if you're living in the dorms at your school or living on your own in an apartment or house, there are always going to be moments where you miss some good quality home-cooked food. I consider myself to be pretty decent at cooking, but there's days when I have no motivation and my favorite meal that my mom cooks at home sounds so perfect. It's little things like this that make us all homesick once in a while.

2. Pets

Being the dog-obsessed person that I am, I can't help but go crazy over every dog I find myself in walking distance of at school. I love all dogs, but seeing people walk and play with theirs makes me miss mine even more. During break I can cuddle with my dog as much as I want, and she's always there to cheer me up or make me laugh. College would be even better if I had a pet with me, but not having one makes going home that much more awesome.

3. Your own washer/dryer

Isn't laundry a pain sometimes? It's hard enough sharing with tons of other people, but having to pay for coin-operated laundry can really add up. Being at home and being able to do your laundry right in your home makes everything way less of a hassle and can be way less stressful; another little perk about home that we sometimes forget about.

4. Going to your favorite spots

Every time I go home, I always have a few spots that I must visit, whether they are restaurants, stores, etc. Each place reminds me of how important home is to me and all the memories I've created there growing up. Having extra time over break to go back to those places really makes me happy.

5. Your bedroom/bed

I feel like this is always an ongoing debate, at least between me and some of my friends. For me, my bed back home is absolute heaven, and whenever I get to go home I can't wait to sleep in it.

6. Seeing hometown friends

College is great because it gives people the chance to branch out, try new things, and meet new people. That doesn't mean that the friends from high school are old news. Make time for your friends and catch up with one another! It will be like you never left each other.

7. Spending time with family

Every family has its ups and downs, and sometimes you feel like getting away just because yours can drive you crazy. However college has a way of making you really miss your family when you're away. I'm so lucky that my family and I are so close. I don't know what i would do without their love and support. So being able to spend some time together over winter break is super special, especially around the holidays!

I know finals can be tough. As soon as Thanksgiving break ended I began to countdown the days until I'm free. The kind of things we have at home waiting for us make winter break that much more enjoyable. It's important to know where you came from and how it's shaped you as a person, as cheesy as that may sound. So push through your finals, my fellow college students. You'll be able to enjoy some freedom soon enough!