Brace yourselves: college is coming. So what does that mean for you, an incoming freshman? This means that you should enjoy your summer vacation and current lifestyle. Take in what it’s like to live at home, because sooner or later you’re going to miss it.

Things you’ll miss now that you’re in college:

  1. Mom’s cooking, or direct access to food in general — i.e. the kitchen just down the hall from your room. Enjoy all those warm home cooked meals now, and show gratitude to mom for serving you dinner AND dessert. It may not seem like a big deal now, but dessert in college is a bag of M&M’s you bought from a vending machine with change you managed to scrounge up… Luckily, Collegiate offers combo packages for fridge and microwave rentals. You can make some pretty tasty dorm room meals with these fun recipes. Your new roommate will definitely be impressed!
  2. Fresh Laundry. Now is a good time to learn how to do laundry. Once you go off to college there won’t be VIP laundry services available in your dorm room. No more arriving to your room with freshly folded clothes sitting atop your perfectly made bed. On that same note, you might want to start saving those quarters!
  3. Privacy (if you don’t have siblings, then you know what this word is). For those of us who have any privacy back home, enjoy it while it lasts. Depending on the size of your dorm room, you’re going to have to share all that space with your roommate. You might want to invest in a room divider, or try making one yourself! As for the bathroom situation, don’t get us started…
  4. Multi-Tasking. If you think high school was busy, you haven’t seen anything yet. Between going to class, homework, clubs and organizations, sleep and friends, you’ll definitely have to learn how to prioritize your time. Say goodbye to the days where you could fit everything into one day. We’ll just leave this right here… Obviously you should select the two more important choices.
  5. The sweet, unconditional love you receive from your pet(s). Be sure to soak up all the fuzzy cuddles, sloppy kisses and playtime sessions from your beloved pets now. You might not get any of that for a few solid months, but don’t fret. Your furry pal will be just as happy to see you when winter break comes!

Okay, we realize that you’re probably traumatized by now, and possibly dreading the fall semester.  But it’s not all that bad. In fact, it’s actually going to be one of the BEST experiences of your life. And although you might miss a few things from back home, you’re going to gain a whole lot more than the five listed above. You should probably still go give mom (and pet) a big hug right now anyway!