Going away for college was one of the best decisions of my life, and if you're in high school and thinking about it, or having doubts, don't. It gives you an experience that you'll never have if you stay home. You become more independent from your parents, you make more friends, and the bond you share with them is even different from your friends from home or friends you only saw 5 days a week in high school.
It also made me more appreciative of things that you might not have a lot of access or very little access to when you're at school.
1. Family
Depending on how often you go home, you become more thankful for your family. Because you don't see them as much, your family doesn't have time to annoy you like they did when you were home. Sometimes, as close you get to your friends at school, there is nothing better than a hug from your mom, or wise words from your dad, or even some cuddles with your pet.
2. Food
Because most college cafeteria food is disgusting, you have more of an appreciation for a real meal at a restaurant (because you have to pay for yourself so you don't do that as much) or a home-cooked meal. There is nothing like something your mom makes homemade, and nothing compares to that favorite meal your mom makes. The best part is getting that specific meal when you're back home.
3. Your hometown
You can't miss your hometown if you don't get out of it. So when you go to that place you always go to with your friends, or you see a familiar face around town, you can catch up with them instead of knowing what's going on in town.
4. ​Money
For most of your freshman year, you don't work because you don't have a car and therefore you can't go anywhere without relying on someone, no matter if it's uber or your friend. You get a better appreciation of money because you need to learn what and what not to spend it on. There's not income you're receiving so there needs to be a way for you to save instead of splurge.
5. Your own bed
There is literally no better sleep than in your own bed.
6. Your friends from home
Because you're not able to see them during the weekend or when you're in school, you start to miss them. Of course there's FaceTime and texting, but there is nothing better than seeing someone for the first time in months, catching up on each other's lives like you never left and time hasn't passed at all.
7. Privacy
Because you have a roommate, or housemates, you really don't get a lot of privacy and when you do, it's cut short or you can't have all of it that you want because either other people have to use the bathroom, or your roommate is in the room. You can't control when and where your roommate is at all times, so when you go home to your own room, you make sure you take advantage of that time.
8. Just being homeÂ
Being home, relaxing on your couch watching T.V. where you've spent your childhood, having the security of being in your house, is the best feeling.
9. Cleanliness
It depends on what type of person you are, but when you live with someone, you learn their habits and they way they live, no matter how gross or weird. I'm the type of person that loves my living space being clean, but some people don't care at all. When I go home to my clean house, I appreciate it a lot more because most people are how you say ~disgusting~
10. Being Messy
Okay, even the cleanest people aren't always clean. Sometimes I get too lazy and forget to pick up the outfits I try on in my room. Yea, you can't do that at school when you live with someone because 1. it's gross to look at 2. there's literally not enough room in a dorm to do that.
11. Baking
I literally baked all the time in high school: cupcakes, cookies, slutty brownies, regular brownies, you name it I baked it. I kind of forgot that I did that when I would come home from school and one day my dad asked me why I don't bake anymore. I had totally forgot that I did that and then I baked cookies. There's no oven at college unless you live in a house, but even when there is an oven you really don't have the time and frankly, the money to go out, buy baking stuff, prep it, bake it, and put it in a fancy dish or bowl.
12. Alone time
Kind of similar to privacy but alone time is a luxury that no one should take for granted.
13. Driving
At least during freshman year, you have to be reliant on other forms of transportation because you're most likely not allowed to have a car on campus. Even driving no where for no reason is something I took for granted.
14. Hometown/ Home-state people
Finding someone that lives near or where your hometown is is something like a euphoria because sometimes you know the same people, and everyone loves a sense of familiarity and nostalgia, and maybe even a lil gossiping. You know the same lingo, places, and everyone else is weird.
15. Music
Okay slightly weird and maybe not as relatable but when I came to college, I became sort of nostalgic to music and especially my student account for Spotify Premium made me listen to a lot more music, especially since I didn't have to pay to listen to every song like iTunes. I started making playlists of songs my parents listen to that I liked, songs I used to listen to that I still like, songs that fit certain moods, and I branched out to new artists. I've always appreciated music, especially because my taste has been hugely influenced by my parents, and it connects me to people I probably wouldn't connect with otherwise.
16. Your home shower
Communal showers, and even showers in a suite (where you might get toe fungus so you wear flip flops) is incomparable to the cleaner, less populated and better-working shower at your house.
17. Sick days when your mom takes care of you
Now I have to get up and get myself medicine, and make my own soup in the microwave. And I don't even have crackers and Gatorade.
18. Fast FoodÂ
Because it's cheap and good. Oh, it's not good for you? I'm here for a good time, not a long time.
19. Not having to do laundryÂ
Not that you expect your mom to do it, it's just great that she does it anyway. Thanks, mom.
20. Your Mom
There's literally no one more loyal and caring than your mother, and when you're at school and you don't have her in the next room, or even the same room, you want to call her for everything and anything. Don't though, she'll probably kill you.
The minimum wage is not a living wage.
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