Winter break is a wonderful but horrid thing. Classes are out of session for about a month, and you get to go home to do whatever you please, or so you think. Whether you're a freshman or senior, coming home to live under your parents' roof seems to be an even bigger surprise than the last visit. It’s also an odd feeling to be back in your hometown for the extended stay, as your hometown now seems like the second home and college is your real home. You realize a lot when you come home for winter break.

1. It was nice hanging out (or not hanging out) with old, high school friends.

You got to meet up with old friends from high school. The gossip isn’t the same, since no one knows who anyone is talking about, but it’s still nice to catch up and hear about this “Jenny” girl or maybe the new guy, "Branden." On the other hand, we can take a moment to remember those people from high school who you left behind, for the better. Hopefully they’re doing great in all with their after-high school adventures, but at least you moved on with your life without them.

2. How broke you actually are.

You pick up every shift possible at the old high school job. Forget the plans with the friends, they can wait, you just really need the money. You secretly even tried selling old clothes to “Plato’s Closet” or on one of those Facebook groups, because yes, you are desperate. Since the break is so lengthy, a good amount of money was made and you get to feel accomplished, until you have to throw away $2.75 to do each load of laundry.

3. How much you appreciate mom’s free laundry.

4. Home-cooked meals are actually to die for.

Not that anyone would complain about the dining hall meals (yes, I am complaining) but an actual meal is really refreshing. It’s nice to know what exactly went into your meal; you might have even offered to cook a few yourself. There’s a salad bar at school, and sometimes they offer some questionable fish, but it’s nice feeling like you aren’t putting complete junk into your body. Or, if you are putting complete junk into your body, at least mom baked it with love.

5. Seeing a lot of familiar faces at home, but not being able to put a name to the face.

That’s probably because they’re also one of the 20,000 kids who attend your University. You don’t actually know them, but you know you’ve seen them out, and the two of you proceed to awkwardly smile at one another.

6. How great it is to be done with class and do absolutely NOTHING.

In high school, winter break was a week long, maybe two, but you got out of school and it felt like you were going right back. This whole college winter break is a whole new thing. Those classes you took first semester? Forget about them. You never have to think about them again. Second semester is like opening a brand new book. Finals are over with, and you have the whole break to not think about school whatsoever.

7. How nice it is to have a queen sized bed and snuggle with the dog every night.

You’ve become accustomed to the twin XL bed at school, and although its lonely, you got used to not being covered in dog hair. The dog hair is completely worth it, but going back to the twin XL bed at school will be a much harder adjustment.

8. How weird it is to have your parents' rules “apply” to you.

You may have a younger sibling who still has to obey the parents' rules, but when you come home for break, you were not expecting to live by the same rules you did in high school.

“Where are you going?”

“When will you be home?”

“Who is going to be there?”

You honestly probably don’t even know the answer half of the time, but you’re really thrown off as to why you’re being asked these questions again. After being at school and doing your own thing, you realize how weird it is for parents to be completely in your business.