5 Things You'll Miss Most About College

I don't know how many times I went home during those long summer vacations and was told by my parents to appreciate my time at college. "College is the most free you'll ever be," I remember being told, countlessly. And though my parents weren't pushing me to party my hours away, they were completely right. The three years I spent at college were the most enjoyable years I've experienced to date - studying for exams, falling in love, and chasing bigger dreams.

Now, as part the "real world" of paying bills, worrying about the next paycheck, hospital visits, and numerous other responsibilities, I often think back to my time at college. Here are five things I miss most about those four years that passed by far too quickly:

1. Vacations

The biggest adjustment I had to make when I started working was getting rid of the idea that after a few months of "work" I would have a long vacation - go home to family, not have to worry about anything, and relax. Forget about money and all that stuff that is normal when going from being under your parent's guardianship to living independently. But, vacations have become a long lost friend. Work everyday, and appreciate those lonesome "Monday's Off" that come around far too infrequently.

2. The Hours of "Nothing"

Working 9 to 5 means your days become monotonous. At college, if you weren't sitting in class for an hour or two, you'd have hours of "nothing" to do whatever you'd like. I used a lot of this time to play golf. Nowadays, I can only think about playing golf on the weekends. Especially during the winter, when sunlight only lasts several hours, at most.

How I wish I could have a few hours to do things other than work...

3. The People

Having attended a large, metropolitan college with tens of thousands of students, one of the things I miss most about my time at college was the privilege of meeting new people on a daily basis. Working-life means your world shrinks to those you see everyday at the office, and the person you live with.

4. The Option to "Skip"

Though I do not condone skipping classes while at college, the option to do so was very nice. Even the thought of skipping a day of work, nowadays, is dangerous. I miss having options. And the option to take a day off of class was one I appreciated a lot, even though I like to think I didn't do so very often.

5. No Commute

Being at college meant living very close to everything that I could ever need. Living in a dormitory lead to many mornings of walking to class in pajamas. That was fantastic. Also, the freedom to go study anywhere I felt was a nice feeling, too. However, one of the best feelings I remember about college was the knowledge that if I had to wake up very early for a class, I could always return to my bed in an hour or so to return to sleep. If I harbored that thought at work, I would be fired very quickly.

Being on a college campus also meant no need for an agonizingly long commute to get to work. Entry-level jobs tend not to pay enough to afford rent in a major city, which means having to live many, many miles outside of town and a long commute to work. That just never even came across my mind while I was in college.

Everyones college experience is different. The five things I miss most about my time at college could be completely different to that of yours. So lets reminisce. Tell me what you miss most about your college days?