Before going away to college I did not realize how spoiled I was. Now being four hours away from my family, my best friend, hometown friends, and my boyfriend I see such a big difference. This is not my first year away from home, but as I get older I miss what I have during the summers and pre-college even more. There are so many different struggles that go along with being away from home, but here are the first few that come to my mind.

Sometimes a Girl Just Needs Her Dad

Being away from home makes me realize how influential my parents are for me. We have always been close, so when everything is stressing me out or I’m sick, I really just wish my parents were here to tell me its okay to skip class and to tell me what medicine to take. Also having them here to hug me and tell me everything will be okay is so missed because a phone call is nice, but a hug is so much nicer. Also I miss my grandparents to gossip and joke with, I miss their cooking so extremely much. My siblings I feel like I haven’t seen or talked to that much in forever and I miss being smushed in a car together and bugging each other. The struggle of all of these is that we are not face to face and being able to express all the things above is harder when we are hours apart.

2. She’s My Best Friend

Everyone has that one friend that you’ve been friends with for years and you both are apart of each other’s families and they are more than just a friend but your platonic partner for life. I have one of those and she is pretty great, but it kills me to be so far apart from her. To go from being 15 minutes away to four hours away. The struggle of when either of us have great news, I’m sad, or I really just need each other here, we have to settle for a phone call or text. Its extremely hard to know my best friend needs me and I can’t physically be there in person for her or vise versa. How much we both struggle it makes when we actually get to see each other that much more fun.

3. Long-Distance Relationship

Being away from the person you are dating is so extremely rough. I have only seen my boyfriend for a total of three days since we’ve started dating. Its tough having our feelings grow, but not being able to be with him for so long. I am blessed that we both excel at our communication with one another no matter if we have something serious to talk about or just want to ask how each other’s days are going. A lot of times though that is not the case in long-distance relationships and people struggle in communicating thankfully that is one struggle I do not have to worry about. The struggle of not being able to hold his hand or hug or kiss him when I want to most is struggle enough.

4. Hometown Homies

I have friends here at school, some really close friends, but the friends I’ve left behind I miss. I have pictures up from the summer in my room and the memories that go along with them have me longing to real live them. I miss the jokes and crazy things we would all do and I miss going to lunch or dinner with everyone too. Its nice to text and SnapChat one another but its nothing like being home and able to hang out. The struggle of not being able to chill at someone’s house and beat them in a card game of Spoons or watch their terrible dance moves is rough and has me counting down the days until Winter break.

Regardless of the of these struggles and how much I miss everyone, I am happy where I’m at. I love the school I go to and the city that its in. I have a lot of fun with the friends I have here and they are the ones that keep sane. Even with classes are so stressful, it makes the coming end to the semester that much more satisfying and makes me that much more excited for the struggles of miss everyone from home will be over.