Leaving the nest is an inevitable part of life, and although you've had years to contemplate the idea, it still tends to sneak up on you. All of a sudden you’re graduating and heading off to college with appointments to view apartments in the city or dormitory applications to fill out. You’ve been planning the move for months, you’ve packed and re-packed your clothes. You’ve double-checked then triple-checked to make sure you have every picture and every poster that hung on your wall. You made sure that every book that sat on your shelf is neatly stowed away, and that every single trinket and memento that littered your desk made it into the car. You’ve done your research. You’re ready.

Or so you thought.

1. Food Won’t Taste The Same

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that a burger from Wendy's or McDonalds is better or worse in your home state. I’m sure you won’t suddenly develop a hatred towards Quarter Pounders and Big Macs. I also don’t mean that you can’t follow the instructions your mom sent, or that the ingredients have changed. You can stick to the family recipe down to the brands they use and it won’t make a difference. Because everything will still taste indescribably different. Maybe the memories of late-night fast food runs with your childhood friends are to blame, or because there’s something irreplaceable and special about a home-cooked meal that no amount of practice can get right. Not to worry, though, because it won’t last forever. New friends become old friends, recipes are born and perfected to replace the ones you couldn’t decipher, and home-cooked meals turn into a special treat to look forward to when going home.

2. Freedom Can Be Hard

Curfews and chores become a thing of the past, asking permission is now a foreign concept, and you can’t remember the last time someone asked you to clean your room. You watch TV into the late hours of the night and if you want to have waffles for dinner there’s no one to stop you. Living on your own definitely has its perks, but the initial shock of freedom soon dulls after a few weeks when you realize that just because you’re free doesn’t mean responsibilities vanish. And instead of having someone to schedule your doctor and dentist appointments for you, you’re left to do it yourself. Instead of constant reminders to wash your clothes, you’re faced with a quickly steepening mountain of dirty laundry. As soon as you tire of ordering in and as soon as you’ve maxed out your quota of frozen meals, the first place you call is home for help. Old burdens are replaced with new ones, and as scary as it can be, things tend to work out in the end. Because amidst the madness of figuring out what freedom means, you know this is what it feels like to grow up.

3. People Treat You Differently

There’s something extremely satisfying in people finally acknowledging that you are, in fact, an adult. For years decisions were made for you, and if they weren't, they were barely ever 100 percent up to you. If it didn’t go through your parents, it didn’t go through at all. Moving out gives you an identity that follows you even when you visit home. Because now you’re seen as someone who has started their own life successfully – as far as they’re concerned, anyways. No one needs to know that your weekends still consist of Netflix marathons and procrastination. Old teachers no longer see you as students, your parents' friends engage you in conversation, and family members value your opinion more than they ever have. Who knew all it took was a few miles of space for adulthood to finally reach you.

4. Home Becomes A Relative Term

Home is where the heart is, and a piece of your heart will always be in your hometown. You were raised there, you built a life from there. You know every square foot of your neighborhood, including the shortcuts and hiding spots, which you can still navigate better than any of your siblings. You still know the way to your elementary school, middle school and high school. You remember where you met your best friend, and where you saw your first crush. You could walk the mall blindfolded, and every park has its own story. This was your home, and in many ways, it will always be your home even if now when you use the word home you’re almost always referring to your apartment or your dorm room. Saying things like, “No, not this home, my other home,” or, “I’m going home home soon,” become part of your everyday vocabulary. But even if you’re constantly clarifying which of the two you meant, it’s comforting to know that both exist.

5. There Is Still No Place Like Home

No one understands how significant time spent with friends and family is better than someone who's moved out. But distance really does make the heart grow fonder and soon the worst part of moving out turns into to something you learn to appreciate. Since you live away from your loved ones, every minute you’re together feels precious, and special, and rare. Your learn to value the little things like lounging around in your PJ’s gossiping and watching movies with your best friends, arguing with your siblings, getting advice from your parents over a cup of coffee instead of FaceTime, or walking your dog up and down the street a few hundred times until they’re ready to go in. All the little things you took for granted suddenly become integral to the little time you have when visiting. Because at the end of the day, it’s not the time you have; it’s what you make of it.