This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BU chapter.

As the semester comes to a close and we finish crying over — I mean studying for — our finals, packing up our dorms, and saying goodbye to our friends, we prepare for the next four months of freedom and sunshine. For some that means going home and spending the next months working while longing for your friends from school. Here are 12 things that happen every time you go home.

1.) You see your pets

And it is the best thing ever.

2.) You see your family

And it is the second best thing ever (because you can facetime your mom but you can’t facetime your dog).

3.) You text your group chat of home friends letting them know you are back and ready to see their faces

Nothing like the first get together after getting home and getting to hear all the latest gossip.

4.) You run into someone from high school you really never wanted to see again

Probably at Target because Target is life, and probably when you look like a hot mess.

5.) After about two days you start texting your school group chat constantly because you miss them already

Never look at find my friends on break — it’ll just make you sad because you’re scattered around the country

6.) You’ll grow jealous of your friends who went to school close to home and still get to see their college friends

Going far away seemed great until your bestie lives in Virginia and you’re in Minnesota.

7.) You’ll run into at least one high school ex

Probably at Target, probably looking like trash, hopefully looking better than them.

8.) You’ll feel insanely old driving by your old high school

Were freshmen always so small? How was I ever intimidated by seniors they’re children?

9.) You’ll spend some much needed time with your mom

I get a pedicure with my mom as soon as I return home because I love spending time with her and I’m too poor to get my nails done at school.

10.) You’ll drink wine with your parents pretending like you don’t spend weekends chugging Franzia from the bag

Mom: Do you like the Rose? It has hints of lavender and honey.

Me: I have not had wine that costs more than $6 in months

11.) You’ll appreciate your high school friends

College friends are great but these are girls that knew and loved you through your junior high scene phase and your Abercrombie high school days. They’ve seen you at your worst so they know you at your best.

12.) You’ll realize how much you’ve changed since you left home

Maybe it’s been a year, maybe two or three, but the longer you spend at school the more you become the person you’ll grow up to be. Don’t be upset if you come home to find you’ve outgrown aspects of your high school life.

Whether you’re going home for a week, a month, or the whole summer remember to cherish the time you spend home because it will grow shorter and shorter, and you can’t bring dogs to college.

12 Things That Happen Every Time You Go Home