The Best Things About Break (So Far)

Christmas break in college is way different than Christmas break in high school. Sure, both come after a hellish week of finals (trust me, the stress level is wayyyyy higher in college, though in many cases it shouldn't be--my exams this year were actually pretty easy) but college Christmas break lasts for about a month, while the high school version is typically about 2 or so weeks. But there are many more differences that I've already realized only 6 days into break.

• You actually want to do chores. A year ago, I complained about having to load and unload the dishwasher, fold towels and clean my bathroom. Now I'm more than happy to do them, because it means that I'm home, in a place where I actually have my own bathroom (that's about the same size as my side of my dorm, sadly) and real dishes.
• I appreciate family time a lot more. I've always been close with my family, which I'm extremely grateful for. But now that I only see them once or twice a month on weekends, I'm really thankful to have an entire month to spend with them!
• Real food. Sure, the dining hall can be okay, but day after day, not so much. At home, you mostly get something different every single day (or not, if you're a creature of habit). Either way, it's much better than college food.
• You can actually cook if you want to. I absolutely love to cook, and I've missed using the stove and the oven while I've been away. Microwaves are convenient and time-saving but nothing beats cooking actual food. Today I made chocolate-peppermint pancakes for my family and I've made some baked goods, too. It makes me feel good to see my family enjoy the things I've cooked.
• A much bigger closet. I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of clothes. My dorm closet is usually packed to the gills, while my walk-in-closet at home is very spacious, not to mention a good place to get dressed if I want to. I know most people don't necessarily have such a huge closet, but it's probably bigger than the one in your dorm or apartment.
• Being far away from school. The weekends I spend on campus are typically very boring. A lot of people leave on the weekends (myself included, sometimes) and there isn't much to do when you don't have a car. Even if I have no homework, I can't get away from the school atmosphere, because being in college basically means you live at school. At home, I'm over 100 miles away from school, and I haven't thought about it much (except for grades, of course). A boring weekend here is much better than a boring weekend on campus.

What are your favorite things about Christmas break?