Countdown to Operation: Coffee Consumption -- 2 Weeks to Go

Frequently, I find myself thinking about the fact I chose to go to school three hours away and in literally the middle of nowhere Ohio. The idea of going away to school was cool at first and as I get older, the novelty hasn't exactly worn off yet because it still resembles future independence once I'm able to move out to have my own real apartment. However, the challenge with living three hours away is that I can't just pick up and drive back home whenever I want, especially when it costs me anywhere from $2.75-$4.25 to take the turn pike and now that gas prices are reaching a ridiculous per gallon amount as well. Sometimes when I weigh the options, the drive home just isn't as worth it as I thought. There are times when I made special trips home aside from Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring and soon-to-be Easter break, such as going home for the weekend just to go with my mom and sister so she could try on wedding dresses. However, other than that, I can count on a single hand the number of times I've gone home and the times I had any visitors from home. If you're wondering, it's five until Easter.

I haven't been too homesick since my sophomore year here at ONU, but every now and again it still hits me even after being here for three years and two and a half quarters. It's difficult not to be at least somewhat disappointed when you call home that night to find out that your family went out for dinner for grandma's birthday, the grandparents 40th anniversary or more recently, tonight when the family came over to celebrate my sister's 26th birthday (who is also an April Fool's baby, go figure :) ). It's even less fun to receive text messages and phone calls that say "we miss you," "can't wait for you to come home," and "wish you could be here" because honestly, so do I. I feel like I miss out on a lot of these family gatherings during the school year, and while I talk to my family on a regular, sometimes obsessive, basis it's not nearly the same to hear about a nice dinner out than it is to actually be there for it.

But thankfully in just two weeks (long or short depending on how things go) I'll be packed up and on my way home for a nice long four day weekend. I'll be able to see my three dogs, all of which I wish I could bring back with me, my parents, my sister and the rest of my family. More importantly, I'll be able to spend another wonderful Easter tradition with them when we go out to dinner where I can get fancy and dressed up because come on, who doesn't like to do that? But even more importantly, Easter Sunday means Lent is over and I can officially go back to putting my precious coffee maker into good use. Let me just say, this will have been the longest 40 days I have ever experienced and I will not miss it. But it's a sacrifice, so I suppose that's the point. And when I pack my car back up again on Monday and drive all the way back to little Ada, I'll only have 4 terrifying weeks to go until I put on my cap and gown and cross the threshold into the real real world.