There are some life lessons one learns only after leaving the proverbial nest.

College students flocked home to spend the holidays back in Central Oregon. We caught up with some of them to find out exactly what they missed about being at home.

These winter reunions seem to have made college students realize just how good they used to have it. At the same time, parents secretly relish the metamorphosis of how their children have come to truly appreciate home and hearth.

Whether freshmen or seniors, the college students unanimously said they missed their families most when they’re away at college. But there are personal things inside their home they missed as well.

Cole Timm, who graduated with an economics and business degree in December, said that during his freshman year he missed a private bathroom. But by the time he was an upperclassman at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif., he says he really missed his book collection back at his home in Bend.

“Here, in Santa Barbara, I only have a handful of books to read. It’s hard to move books around because they’re so heavy and take up a lot of room,” said Timm, 21.

“When I was home, I love having all my books and being able to reach out for one, and being able to read one right off my bookshelves. I have probably a hundred books that are nonfiction biographies or autobiographies.”

University of Oregon freshman Sophie Von Rohr said she misses, among other things, her “big comfy bed” where she can burrow under the many blankets and pillows and invite the family dog to crash and sleep with her.

“In my dorm room, I have my bed lofted, and yes, it’s a twin bed, not as comfortable as my own bed here at home,” said Von Rohr. “I also miss being alone at home — at school there’s always people around, it’s hard to have some quiet time to yourself.”

Lucy Lansing, a freshman at Santa Clara University in California, said she misses the 13 acres that surround her family’s Tumalo home.

“I do miss the outside open space around our home, and I didn’t expect that,” said Lansing, 18, who said she’s never lived in a city until she left for college last fall. “We do have llamas and chickens here too, but I honestly don’t miss them. They’re work.”

Fires

After 12 straight days of skiing at Mt. Bachelor, Kate Puddy, still in her ski clothes, stoked the fire and sat in front of the hearth, to stave off the frosty winter chill.

Unlike some of her friends who chose to go to schools in warmer climates, Puddy, who has skiing in her genes, chose Westminister College in Salt Lake City to continue her education.

With three sets of skis in her dorm room, along with two pairs of ski boots, hiking boots and camping gear, Puddy feels right at home in her dormitory, except for one thing.

“I’ve really missed this fireplace in our home. I love when the fire is going because it keeps this house really warm, and this is such a comfy place,” said Puddy, who pointed out the large family room window that has full views up to Mount Bachelor. “As soon as we get home from skiing, we build a fire. It can be challenging, but I’m getting better at it.”

Puddy said that while she loves Westminister College, the only fireplace she’s found on campus is in the coffee shop, and that one is an electric fireplace that radiates little heat.

Building fires is a way of life year round for the Puddys.

“We do like fires; in the summer we’ll build a big bonfire out there,” said Puddy, pointing out the window to the 7-acre yard. “My aunt even gave us cords of wood for our Christmas present.”

The other thing missing from her dorm room is storage space.

“I’m kind of overflowing everywhere in my dorm room because of all my skis and equipment,” said Puddy with a giggle. “But in freshman hall everyone has skis everywhere.”

Food access

Rianna Aylward had only been home for three days when we caught up with her, but already she was baking in a kitchen that she dearly missed.

As a freshman soccer player for Wellesley College in Massachusetts, she said that at first she didn’t miss home too much, because the experience of being away was exciting and new, but by the time Thanksgiving rolled around, she was starting to miss home, especially because she wouldn’t be able to get home till Christmas break.

“There are times when I’m really hungry after soccer practice at school, and I remember my mom used to say, ‘What can I make you?’ I know this sounds lame, but my dining hall is not in the same dorm building where I live, so there are times I skip meals, because I don’t want to walk across campus to get something. So it is nice to have a big refrigerator fully stocked here at home,” said Aylward with a big grin, pointing to the fridge. “Being away from home has made me really appreciate my home.”

Getting used to the new normal at college for Aylward has also given her a new study habit.

“There are some weird things that I miss at home, for instance in my dorm room the lighting is really bad, and it’s hard to see. We only have one small window in that room,” said Aylward. “At home there’s a lot of natural lighting in my own room, and there’s overhead lights for cloudy days here. But in some ways the bad lighting at Wellesley might be a good thing, because it forces me out of the dorm, and I have to study elsewhere on campus.”

Desk space

Stanford University senior Andee Wallace, 21, has made some adjustments to her study habits, too.

While she said she had the usual freshman woes about missing certain things at home, the one consistent thing she missed from her personal bedroom all four years was her very large desk.

“At Stanford, the desks are considerably smaller than the one I grew up with, so I had to learn to study one subject at a time,” said Wallace, who grew up in a meticulously neat and modern Sunriver home. “At this desk, I could always spread out, because it’s a double desk. At Stanford, I don’t really like to study at the library, because it’s too quiet, or you hear people typing on their computers and that’s distracting. I’ve learned to study in my dorm room on that smaller desk, but for grad school I think I want my own apartment with a very large desk.”

Wallace was once again getting ready to leave back to college. She looked pensively around her childhood bedroom painted in lavender, and explained that in four years she’s missed different things about being at home every year.

“My freshman year, I did bring all 10 of my Frisbees to Stanford, because I play ultimate Frisbee, but then I realized I didn’t have a lot of time to play it, so I brought those home. Now, as a senior, I miss having all the shoes in my closet. I’ve managed to bring a lot of them back to Stanford, but not all of them. But besides the shoes, I’ve really missed my mom’s wonderful lentil dishes and Asian-flavored stir fries.”

Living room

As Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz” realized there’s no place like home, so has freshman Jackie Nonweiler.

As a swimmer for Colorado College, Nonweiler said she misses having a fully stocked refrigerator and she misses eating good cuts of meat.

But what really surprised her the most is having a really comfortable living room.

“Honestly, I miss being able to sit down on a nice comfy couch or chair that’s not dirty or gross,” said Nonweiler. “I just need a place to kick my feet up and chill. I just don’t have a free space like that at college, so that is what I miss most about being at my home. Free space could just be lying down on the carpet with my dogs. I do miss my dogs Miso and Riley; not sure they miss me though.”

Nonweiler said she also missed having her own private shower, where she doesn’t have to wear shoes.

“I hate showering with shoes. You can’t shower without slippers, and I really hate carrying that shower caddy to wash up,” said Nonweiler, crinkling her nose.

She said she also has a greater appreciation of the Craftsman style of her home, something that she didn’t think she would even notice, but she says she likes all the millwork on the homes in Bend.

Stark white

Home sweet home is made all the better because decorations do count, as freshman Chris Shultz found out at Tufts University, in Massachusetts.

“I remember Chris saying he didn’t expect his dorm room to be homey, but he also didn’t expect it to look like a prison cell either,” said his mother, Paula Shulz.

Shultz shook his head, acknowledging that, “The rooms are quite stark, with white brick walls and white tile floors.”

But as a member of Tufts crew team, Shultz said he doesn’t spend much time in his stark white room, as he’s out of the dorm room by 5:30 a.m. for crew workouts, and he’s in classes and the library studying till midnight or later.

Sitting on the piano bench next to the family’s black grand piano, Shultz played with his dogs that he’s missed while away at college. He said he misses playing piano, and though there are pianos at Tufts, he hasn’t found the time to go to the music practice rooms on campus.

While being home on break he’s delighted in his parent’s home-cooked meals, acknowledging that they are both very good cooks.

“I miss their cooking, and the food and variety. The food at Tufts is pretty good, but it’s still cafeteria food. I especially miss Mexican meals. On the East Coast they don’t do Mexican well, at least not compared to the West Coast,” said Shultz with a wide grin. “But most of all, I miss having our family dinners together.”

Duck pride

Home is where the heart is, but for the Ross family, it’s also where the big “O” is proudly represented.

It’s hard to miss the Ross’ family home, because there’s usually a University of Oregon flag waving in the wind outside and other Ducks decor somewhere tastefully displayed in the house.

Both parents, Debbie and Bill Ross, are Oregon alumni, so it only stood to reason that their two oldest children would be Ducks, too.

Hillary Ross, a senior, says this winter break is a little bittersweet, as she will be graduating in June, and a lot of her school career will be, “last time events.”

Nostalgia for school and home is to be expected. Ross looked around their Bend home and said that when she’s away in Eugene, she misses the outside space, her dog, the family living room and fireplace.

“I do really miss my mother’s cooking, too, I especially miss her raclette, and the spinach strawberry salad,” said Ross. “She’s made both of these during our break; it’s really delicious.”

Her brother, Willy Ross, a sophomore, has learned the ropes of managing in Eugene from his big sister.

“Of course I miss the mountain being so close. You can see the mountain from there,” said Willy Ross, pointing out the living room window. “But inside our house, I particularly miss the walk-in pantry; it’s always full.”

Ross is living with six other male students in an apartment near campus. Though it hasn’t gotten too out of hand, Willy does mention they started a clean-up list.

His family home is immaculate.

“You know, I also miss our utility room here. It’s great because we can drop off our wet ski gear right there to dry, and the washer and dryer are in there, so if there’s dirty clothes, they can be washed right away,” said Ross.

Ross said he has really appreciated his older sister being at school with him. Because Hillary lives only a block away, the brother and sister get to hang out together with all their friends.

Hillary Ross agreed, “We are a really close family, and it’s great having Willy so close, but you know what? I really miss our younger brother Luke, too; it always feels like we’re missing someone else when we’re at school.”

In a couple of years, brother Luke may be joining the family tradition of wearing the green and yellow. But for now, the best part of being at home for the Rosses is being all together as family.