As I check off the days until I move back to Brandeis University, I cannot help but remember last year. When I was a freshman, I did not know what to expect, from classes being only twice a week to life with total strangers. However, the biggest change that I was not ready for would be what I missed from home. Sure, colleges prepare for you to miss your parents, siblings, and 12-year old dog. But, they do not tell you about the minuscule things you will miss. I will now try and prep all the new incoming freshmen as to the top eight things they are going to miss.

1. Personal Showers

Yes, you have been told that there are communal showers. However, no one tells you how much you will miss showering without flip-flops. Not only that but having to find random hair on the walls as you shower can make you feel a little uncomfortable.

2. School Being In One Building

Okay, unless you are going to school in paradise, there are going to be bad days of weather. With that comes the task of walking five or more minutes in a downpour to get to class. Never did I miss the hallways of high school until I was soaked within hundred feet of leaving my dorm.

3. Home-Cooked Food

While you may despise mom's meatloaf every Wednesday night, trust me, you will be craving that by Halloween. Although most colleges offer a variety of food, there is something about a home-cooked meal that just tastes better. Maybe it is the love that is put into the meal?

4. Familiarity

People tell you that college is the time to make new friends, find your passion, and have fun. But, at college, there is no familiarity, whereas at home you knew who you were hanging out with and where the best ice cream is at. Try and keep that in mind and take a chance at trying something new, no matter how uncomfortable it may be at first.

5. Quiet

Unless your entire hall has the same exact schedule, everyone is going to be somewhere at a different time. That also means that you need to get used to waking up in the middle of the night to your next-door neighbors coming back from the frat party. No more certainty that everyone in the house is in bed by 10:30 P.M. Remember, colleges have no bedtime.

6. Sharing

This is for everyone with a close sibling out there. Yes, you may get lucky and have a roommate who is the same size as you. But if you do not, you are going to miss sneaking into your sibling's bedroom to borrow their soft sweatshirt or expensive sneakers.

7. Comfortable Furniture

Alright, so you can get a mattress pad to make your bed more comfortable. However, you cannot exactly fit an l-shaped sofa into your room that is already conformed to your body, now can you? To quote Mrs. Incredible, "I don't think so."

8. Hugs

Sure, you can find a friend who will hug you after your first failed test. I can say for certain, though, that these hugs are nothing like one from a family member. I would say that in these next couple of weeks before you move in, let your mom or dad hug you more than often. Trust me, you will wish you had them during finals week.

While moving in may seem daunting, do not worry. You may miss these things a lot, or maybe not at all. Whatever you do, know that everyone in your hall and class is in the same situation as you. So, take a breath, laugh, and enjoy your year. Just call home every once in a while, okay?