It’s the first week of Spring semester, and that means one thing: an influx of Juniors back on the Hill. Returning to Kenyon for the first time in months means that Juniors who studied off-campus must become reacquainted with everything they missed while they were gone. And it’s a wonderful time to reflect on the little things that make Kenyon special.

1. Asian lady beetles. You can imagine how glad I was when, after being in my room for a grand total of 20 minutes, a little beetle decided to hang out next to me on my wall. I missed those cute little guys and their adorable odor. They’re like having a Yankee Candle that’s a cross between Unwashed Roommate and Nosebleed. Mmmmm, now that’s what I call soothing.
2. Ohio weather. When I left Spain in mid-December, the average temperature was about 60 degrees. You don’t know how good we have it here until November and December pass without once feeling the glory of numb thighs. I mean seriously, who in their right mind would want to feel their thighs during the winter months? A certi-thigh-able idiot, am I right?
3. Peirce at noon. Did you know that in some places, if you try to eat at a standard meal time you don’t have to wait in an extra long line? When I came home from the university for lunch, my host mom didn’t make me stand and wait at all. Kinky, right?
4. Buying textbooks. When I was in Spain, my textbook bill amounted to a whopping £2.50. I didn’t know what to do with all the money I had left over. Honestly, I really missed the satisfaction of dropping a few hundred dollars on a book that I’ll open only to rest my aching head on during finals week. Psh, I mean with all that fluffy content, pillows have nothing on Intro Psych books. Right?
5. My friends–for real though. Studying off-campus means being in a new place with people you don’t know and having to make completely new friends who you’ll only actually know for a few months. Being completely alone without your support system makes it super easy to spiral into a pit of despair, so imagine how happy I was to come back to friends who support and care about me.