Whenever there is a break in the school year, I always make an effort to visit my hometown. Sometimes I stay for an extended period of time, but even if it’s for a short while, I notice the same thoughts recurring in my mind during every visit. These are just a few that stick out to me the most!
1. I realize who I actually liked from home.
Of course, I had a boatload of acquaintances in my hometown, but those who decide to reach out to me as soon as the plane lands are my true friends. When my parents would tell me, “You’ll never talk to these people after high school,” I used to never believe them. Now, I know exactly what they are talking about. I reach out to the ones I care about, and vice versa and the rest of my high school is practically non-existent. I enjoy keeping up with their antics on social media, but as far as meeting up goes, I am content with seeing most of their Snapchat stories and hanging out with those who really matter to me.
2. The owner of my favorite restaurant should open a location in my new town.
I never realized how much I missed my favorite chain restaurant until it was no longer in my backyard. As soon as the plane lands and/or the car pulls in the driveway, I demand that we have this exclusive restaurant’s food for dinner because it’s honestly a miracle that I lasted so long without it. Aside from seeing my family and friends, eating food exclusive to my hometown is a big selling point when deciding whether or not to come back home during a short break.
3. Every outing is a chance to see someone you used to know.
Because I lived in my hometown for so long, I have met a lot of people. The chances of running into someone I know when out and about is exponentially higher when I come back home. This means that I need to look and feel my best at all times in preparation for an impromptu high school reunion at the mall. Before coming home, I need to prepare my finest small talk because I definitely know I need to have a monologue rehearsed for when I’m asked: “So what have you been up to?”
4. Not all grocery stores are as special as the one in my hometown.
Leaving home meant I had to do my own grocery shopping, and I had to find my way around a new grocery store. I was so used to the specific name of the grocery store we had at home only to realize that this chain didn’t even exist where I was headed. I have since adapted to the drastic change, but I will forever appreciate the prices and variety that my hometown grocery store has to offer.
5. My lifestyle is completely different now than it was at home.
Whether it’s a change from country to city, city to country or even just city to city, any move is going to result in a change of lifestyle. I have noticed that what I’m eating, my exercise habits and my way of life as a whole has completely changed. I wouldn’t say I’m a whole new person, but the way I live now is a total 180 from the way I lived at home. One way to live isn’t better or worse than the next, it’s just — different.
6. I appreciate both my new city and my hometown.
There isn’t one place I prefer because I love them both equally. In one place I live with my best friends and live the typical independent college lifestyle. In my hometown, I have the security and love that comes with living under my family’s roof. My two lifestyles are not tearing my heart in half because I love them both equally!
My hometown will always have a special place in my heart no matter where my life takes me. After I finish my education, I may end up somewhere completely new, but I will never forget where I came from and how it shaped me as an individual.
