21 Things College Students Miss From Back Home
College is a stronghold for students to gain a sense of professionalism, take part in extracurricular activities, discover how to be independent and most importantly realize how much we miss home.
I asked 60 students, mostly from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, what is the one thing they miss the most from back home and to my surprise, I was able to receive a wide variety of answers.
So next time you’re back home, take the time to cherish and appreciate all the things around you before you leave for college.
1. Home Cooked Meals
“Nothing beats home cooked meals!”
2. Another Country, Another Home
“Next to my house in Shanghai, China, there was an old building that I passed by every single day. Even though I don’t know what kind of building it is or why it’s there, I miss it and I hope it’s still there.”
3. The Comfort of Family
“I miss the availability to be heavily involved in my family’s lives. The time spent apart from my family has made me appreciate the moments I have with them.”
4. A Sense of Familiarity
“I miss the comfort of knowing where everything is and where to go.”
5. A Beautiful View
“I’m from the countryside, so I love looking up at the night sky. It’s where I find peace.”
6. No Homework
“I miss not being able to suffer from so much homework every night. ”
7. Nostalgic Bike Ride
“I miss biking along Lakeshore Drive right next to Lake Michigan. I find it so peaceful biking past downtown.”
8. A Different Type of Cuisine
“What I miss the most is all the different types of food my country has to offer! Cooking is hard and effortful I’d say. I wish I can have all my favorite food served to me to on silver platters again. I’m an international student from Malaysia and my country is made up of many cultures so the food is very diverse!”
9. Loving College Too Much
“I don’t miss anything from back home.”
10. The Friends You Can’t Take With You To College
“I absolutely miss my friends. Knowing that my friends will be there to welcome me when I go back to California makes me happy.”
11. What To Do With All This Free Time
“Right now, I’d probably have to say I miss downtime. That way, I don’t have to worry about the next deadline.”
12. The Convenience of Showers
“I miss showering without having to wear flip-flops.”
13. Your Roots
“Having been raised in Chicago my entire life, I realize that I miss the community and my childhood friends.”
14. Mom and Dad
“This may sound a little cheesy but the one thing I miss from home is definitely my parents. I enjoy chatting with them and listening to their wisdom. They always give me their best advice through the stories they had growing up. It’s nice knowing that some aspects in my life are very much similar to theirs. I love how we can relate to one another.”
15. Lost At Sea
“I miss going to the ocean with my friends because it creates a culture for those who live by it. There aren’t a lot of things to do back home so my friends and I would always hang out around there.”
16. My Bed
“I miss the comfort of my own bed when my boyfriend doesn’t take up 90 percent of it.”
17. Man’s Best Friend
“What I miss the most about home is my adorable dog. I can’t have pets in my apartment but I sort of pushed my mom into adopting him knowing he’d have to stay at home with her.”
18. Having A Car
“Having the ability to drive wherever I want, whenever I want.”
19. Siblings
“I miss my brothers. They’re my best friends.”
20. Having Things Done For Me
“I miss getting my laundry done by my parents.”
21. Your Significant Other
“When I was at Ohio State University, I missed my now-fiance the most! Long distance relationships are tough.”