As I prepare to begin my freshman year of college and move away from home for the first time, I’ve been looking forward to all the new things I will experience in my new environment. I’ll have independence, freedom, new friends, and of course the ability to find myself as I transition into adulthood. Though Connecticut has been my home for the last eighteen years, I’m excited to find out what life will be like in a new state without my family and high school, or childhood friends. That’s not to say that I’m not nervous or sad about leaving, in fact, the negatives nearly even out the positives. I’m excited to start a new chapter in my life, but I’ve also come to the realization that I’ll be leaving a lot behind. So here’s the ten things I’ll miss most about leaving home.
1. My Dog
Rosie, my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Bichon Frise mix, is my best friend. Accepting that I can’t take her with me to my dorm has been one of the hardest things to accept about moving to school. The idea that I can’t come home to her after a difficult test and cuddle up with her on the couch is painful to think about. Lately, whenever I see her laying on the kitchen floor staring up at me with her chocolate eyes, I tear up a little and walk over to pet her since soon enough I won’t have that option.
2. Mom Doing Laundry
It’s true that you don’t appreciate something until it's gone. In this case, it would be the fact that my mom has done my laundry my whole life. Whereas some kids started doing their own once they reached high school, my mom has always done mine, even though she works full time and there are six people in the house. I’ve finally begun to understand how lucky I am for that and having to do my own laundry is probably a wake-up call I need for the looming idea of an adult life without mom doing my laundry.
3. My Bed
Sure I’ll have a nicely decorated dorm bed at school with a comfortable mattress pad on top, but nothing is like the comfort that is my bed at home. I won’t have the ability to curl up into my full-size bed when I’m tired or sick and just cocoon the comfortable bedding around me. I won’t have the calming grey walls of my bedroom to lull me asleep in my dorm.
4. Having a Car
Just the ability to get from one place to another whenever I want or have to is going to be hard to give up. Sure my life will be mostly on campus and there’s shuttles or taxi's, but there’s nothing like the comfortable dumping group of your own car. A home base of transportation, somewhere to dump my bags and bring me from point A to B. Or even just a place to sit and listen to music when I want to be alone.
5. The Town
Maybe it’s just the nostalgia setting in, but I’ve been noticing how beautiful my home town is. There’s several spots, or views if you will, that show CT’s capital. These views are mind blowing, quiet and just nice places to be still and think. Leaving behind my happy places is far from easy.
6. Family Movie Nights
As an avid film lover, I often cozy up on the couch and put on a good movie instead of going out for the night. When all my siblings are home and my parents are in on the weekends, we often join together in the family room and do this together. Dad will show one of his action movies or we’ll watch something that none of us have seen. Being away from home, I know I’ll miss those nights where we’re all together, comfortable and happy.
7. Girls Nights
Whether it’s a dinner out, going to the movies or just a night at one of our houses swimming or staying up late talking, the nights with the girls are some of the best. But with time comes change. One girl is off to Washington, another to Colorado, then there’s Florida and Rhode Island and a few staying in Connecticut. They’re all going to be hours from me and the next girl’s night will have to wait until Christmas.
8. Home Cooked Meals
The other night, as I ate my last home cooked flank steak at the dinner table with my family, it hit me: food isn’t going to be like this at school. No matter how good cafeteria food is going to be, it won’t be like my dad’s chicken or swordfish or (most importantly) steak. I wouldn’t have the ability to ask my mom to make her legendary baked mac and cheese for dinner. But I guess that’ll make me appreciate it all the more when I come home to a freshly cooked meal on breaks.
9. My Own Shower
Though I’m trying to keep an open mind about communal showers in a traditional style dorm, I know it’ll be far from my shower at home. I won’t be able to burst into song without the fear of being judged or blast my music on full volume as I take my time in a hot shower. Now I'll understand why my brother's first action upon coming home from school is a quick dart to the shower.
10. The Way Things Used to Be
Though I understand that with time there must be change, it’s still difficult to accept. As this big transition in my life gets closer, it’s become more nerve-wracking. A part of me wishes I could stay in my high school forever. I could remain with my friends and my family in my hometown and my life wouldn’t be full of responsibility. I could remain a kid and nothing would have to change. As appealing as this seems at times, I know it’s impossible. Even if I did stay here and refused to grow up, everyone around me still would, and I know in reality this life isn’t enough for me. I have dreams and aspirations that only growing out of my hometown would be able to achieve.
So, at the end of the day, sure, I’m going to miss this place and this life. I’m nervous and sad, but that’s normal. I know that once I get accustomed to my new school, I’ll love it there and I’ll be able to deal with everything I’m leaving behind. When I come home on breaks, I’ll be able to appreciate those things all the more. And in reality, the excitement I have for the future that awaits me outweighs the things I know I’m going to miss.
