Here are 12 reasons why the July 5 hangover was worth it.

Whether you spent last weekend at the beach with family and friends, or dartying in the backyard, #Merica style, the hangover that followed July 4 was, most likely, not a good time. 

July 5 -- one of the most hung-over days for college students, ranking up there with New Year's day, the day after Villanova plays at the Wells Fargo Center and every morning of syllabus week. This year, it was especially bad, considering July 4 fell on a Friday, leaving the rest of the weekend for recovery before the dreaded Monday morning return to work. However, sleeping through July 5 in misery was definitely worth it, and here’s why.    

1. The broken white table and red solo cups littering the yard just looked festive due to the color scheme. 

2. Nothing says family bonding like the promotion of drinking. 

3. At the time, that last beer seemed like a good decision. 

4. You made friends in high places, regardless of whether the “friendly” cops were there for you. 

5. It was, once again, appropriate to purchase cheap vodka, as long as it was only for the Jell-O shots. 

6. You can officially add Chipotle to the list of places you can never go back. Public puking is never the move. 

7. That random kid in your photos no one can name led to laughs for days.

8. Losing the flame on your charcoal grill because the tequila shots were definitely more important.      

Fortunately, the hangover that follows the Fourth of July doesn’t have to last beyond sleeping through July 5. While it may seem like the rest of the summer is spent longing for the epic party, that doesn’t have to be true. Channel the energy and enthusiasm for fun, that you had for this weekend, and make it last the rest of the summer. Who says Independence Day can only last for one weekend? America is free all year round, and that’s something that we can always celebrate.