Throughout the month that we are granted for winter break, many things happen with friends, family, ourselves or just life in general.

The major holidays of Christmas and New Year's are givens, but there are many under-the-surface things that occur as well. We all have the relatable moment when we just want to sleep for the rest of the year after we finished finals, or the graciousness of real food at home.

Whatever stages you experience over break, I hope that your time off is great.

1. "I’m Done with Finals" Freedom

The stage is essentially when you feel the weight that you have trudged around for the last two or so weeks lifted and you are able to take a breath without it cutting into your study time too much.

2. Over-Sleeping

It is one of the best feelings to just know that you do not have to wake up to an alarm clock and that you can just sleep as long as your body wants to because you are HOME.

3. Home Friends, Home Friends, Home Friends

Obviously you have seen your family by now and they know what’s new with you. Now, the moment we’ve all waited for ... it's time to catch up with your home friends in person on all of the crazy things that texting couldn’t fully explain.

4. Home-Cooked Meals

Potatoes. Corn. Beans. Steak. Maybe that’s a stereotypical Irish dinner, but I have it every night, and no, it does not get old. Whatever your go-to dinner is when you're home, I know as a fellow college student that it is 10 times more appreciated after having to deal with meal plan food for months on end.

5. It's Not "Good-Bye", It's "See You Later"

Whew, cheesy, I know. It’s the last time for another few months, though, that you will be able to see family everyday and have things how they used to be. However, it’s still easy to talk to them often and keep them in the loop. The positive side to the end of a goodbye is a near hello. Obviously, these are to your college people, who you will have all semester to catch up with and make even more new memories that you will end up talking about when you are home.