Ah... sweet summertime. When I think of summer, I think home-cooked meals, getting in shape, and making money. But as nice as it is to relax and unwind, my heart still aches for Tallahassee. Here are some of the top things that keep me anxiously awaiting the arrival of syllabus week:

1. Local Tally Restaurants.

The freshman 15 is real and the first summer home means working off those pounds! It's so much easier to diet at home. After all, Tallahassee is home to some of my favorite unhealthy addictions. Pokey sticks and Roboto's are my staples and with each passing day I crave them more and more. And while there is nothing like a home cooked meal, there is also nothing like ordering warm Insomnia cookies at midnight with your besties. The scale and my wallet may be happy, but the heart wants what it wants...

2. Football Season.

There has been a huge football shaped hole in my heart for months now, but with the arrival of fall semester comes the arrival of football season and I cannot contain my excitement! Every Florida State student knows that game days are the best days of the year. I've considered the off-season somewhat of a hibernation, but this 'Nole is ready to wake up and tailgate harder than ever.

3. Going Out.

When people say New York is the city that never sleeps, I laugh. They've obviously never been to Tallahassee. One of the things I miss most is the ability to go out any night of the week. Want to go out seven days in a row? Come to Tally. Even on Sundays, you could find somewhere to have a good time. Summer has been a nice time for rest and relaxation, but I find myself questioning my life when I'm sitting in bed watching Netflix on a Friday when I should be at happy hour.

4. Freedom.

College is awesome because it is your first experience as a truly independent person. You finally have control of your own time. You don't have to report to anyone about where you are going or when you'll be back. Amazing! It's all fun and games until you come back into reality, also known as coming home for the summer. Wait, what? Responsibilities? Oh yeah. Didn't have too many of those in college. Now you not only report to your parents, but report to that job, or internship, or whatever it may be that controls your life from May to August. I miss the independence and limited responsibilities that come with being a college student.

5. The People.

Overall, I miss my fellow 'Noles the most. Spending time with family and high school friends has been fantastic, but I miss the people I saw every day since August. They are the ones who can relate to all of these things that I miss; the cravings, happy hours, and nights in Doak. They are the ones who have made me love FSU so much and the ones who keep me counting the days until syllabus week!