Winter break is a coveted time, whether you're in college or high school. It's the time of relaxation and no homework, but also the time of anxiety and gift planning. However winter break may make you feel, it certainly brings its own ups and downs. Here are 8 reasons why winter break is both the best and the worst.

1. No Homework

This rings true for both high school and college students. Whether you are friend or foe of the infamous winter break, you have to admit that having a break from homework is pretty nice. Finals are officially over and it may start to seem like everything will be OK again.

2. Netflix Overload

While having no responsibilities seems nice, the bliss only lasts for a couple days. There's only so many times you can binge something on Netflix, or lock yourself in your room playing Sims for hours, until things start to get a little dull.

3. Catching Up With Old Friends

You get to see all your high school friends! After weeks (or months) of not seeing each other, winter break is prime time to catch up with the friends that you've missed so much since moving away.

4. Missing Your College Pals

You also have to leave your college friends for weeks at a time. This may seem crazy to think about, since you have spent nearly all of fall semester with them at your side- life may seem weird without them. Just keep telling yourself that you will see them again soon and try not to think about the three month summer break that's coming up.

5. Coming Home

Coming home is always exciting. The comfort of your parents, your own bed, home-cooked food, all of this is dearly missed during the month's of school. Having the washing machine just feet away and completely free is also a welcomed change, along with having a stocked pantry right downstairs. It's the little things, I suppose.

6. No More Home

Once you move back for the month, reality begins to set in. Yes, you have real food and clean blankets, but you also lose a bit of that cherished freedom. All of a sudden you find yourself asking for the car and what that plans for dinner are, again. Try not to let this ruin break, though. It's only for a couple weeks, soon enough you'll be back in your dorm trying to decide between beef or chicken flavored ramen.

7. Catching Up With Family

You get to see your family again! For some of you, it may have been months since the last family get together and you may have secretly missed the bickering and political rants. Or not. Anyway, family is family, and you're glad to have them for the time being.

8. Saying Goodbye To Your Family

There is no down-side to this one! Sure, they'll get on your nerves, but they did that before you moved away so nothing is really new there. Enjoy this time while it lasts! You'll miss them once you head back to school!

Even if you were one of those few who weren't so thrilled about winter break, try to take everything with a grain of sand. Use this time to take a breather, see your friends, and appreciate your family. This time will fly by and soon you'll find yourself standing in your dorm, wondering where the time went.