I love college. I love my classes, I love living by myself, I love being independent.

I love having infinite freedom and ability to make my own decisions, and I love being a part of the overall college experience.

I also miss home. I miss my cats, I miss the way I can stretch out my whole body over my bed.

I miss cable television, I miss my dad's home cooked meals, I miss a stress-free environment and I always, always miss my boyfriend.

No matter how far into the semester I am or how many times I've gone home, I always find myself a little sad on the drive back to school.

But once I get past that initial return, I'm undoubtedly happy again.

Unfortunately, a lot of people think that these two things are mutually exclusive.

As a college student, and especially as a first-semester freshman, I can guarantee you that they are not.

There seems to be this universal myth that if you love college, you don't miss being at home. Or if you miss being at home, you hate college. Who made that up anyway?

Even when I miss home the most, I have never once regretted making the decision to go to school.

It gives me hope for the future that one day I'll have a degree in the field that I am most excited to get in to and that one day, that degree will get me a real job that I can be proud of.

After all, why would I be here if I didn't enjoy learning?

On days when I do feel homesick, it makes remember why I'm here. I made this decision to move away and go to college and it was the best one I have made.

I made this decision for my family, for myself, and for everyone else I care about because one day I want to make a difference.

Being homesick is, in a sense, of part of the college experience. I mean, if you're not homesick, you probably aren't doing something right.

It's perfectly natural to miss the place where you came from, even if you don't miss home specifically.

College is about having fun, finding yourself and living your life before you're too old to.

If you're not homesick, you're either going home a little too often or you're not living your college experience to its full potential.

Even on days where I find myself doubting my abilities, I never regret my decision. College should be an overall positive experience for everyone.

So don't think that missing home is a bad thing, even if you're having the time of your life.

It just means you have some grounded roots back where you came from, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to return there.

They say these are the best years of your life, so go out and live them.