When a college student proclaims to be homesick, it does not necessarily mean that we miss living at home or our family and friends. It could quite possibly mean that we miss the atmosphere and area that they grew up in.

Moving 3,000 miles away from home has not been easy, but it has shed a new light on what it really means to be homesick.

1. I miss thunderstorms.

There were days that I would wake up and the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky and an hour later it would be pouring rain, thundering and lightning. There were nights that I would fall asleep to the rain beating on my window and flashes of lightening followed by the boom of thunder. Thunderstorms soothed my soul and rock me gently to sleep, and I miss that.

2. I miss always knowing where I am.

I knew those roads like the back of my hand. Well maybe I didn't actually know the name of all the roads, but if you could give me a landmark, I knew exactly what road you were talking about. I could probably get most places with my eyes closed (but that's dangerous so I won't try).

3. Food.

I feel like that is all I really need to say, because who doesn't like to eat? We all know the best mom and pop restaurants in our hometowns; there is nothing else that could ever compare to them. We all know the best places to get together with friends on a Friday night after the football game. There is no comparison to traditional southern food, or the meals we have all shared with our closest friends.

4. The beach.

I love the beach. There were late nights in the summer and even during Christmas break where my best friend and I would hop in the car and drive to the beach. It was, and still is, our safe place. It is a place where you can be alone with your thoughts or enjoy the day with your friends and family. The beach is a place where everyone could have the best of times, not to mention that it is beautiful.

5. Trees.

I know this sounds a little funky, but here in Utah they are lacking in the tree department. A tree here is a bush at home. I miss being able to look out and see the giant pine trees or oak trees. I miss being able to look out of the car window and just feel like the trees were a never ending phenomenon.

6. Along with trees, come birds.

I miss waking up to the song of a bird. It always made me really angry to be woken up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning because the birds didn’t understand that some people were still asleep. But now, I miss that. I wish birds would wake me up in the morning. I wish there were birds to wake me up. Unfortunately, like trees, Utah is lacking in the bird department.

7. Humidity

For those of you who live in the humidity, you probably think I’ve just lost it, that I’m absolutely insane. But have you ever left the humidity for an extended period of time? The dry air kills your body. My skin has gone absolutely insane, is my face dry or oily? It literally has no idea. My hair has no idea what to do with itself anymore. It is nice because it doesn’t get frizzy, but it’s so dry. Running is a joke, not that I really run anyways, but it burns. It burns your lungs and then you cough like you smoke 10 packs a day. It’s the worst.

Don’t get me wrong, I do miss my family and friends. But being homesick is so much more than that. The area that I grew up in will always be my home, I will always compare every new place I live to it. I am homesick for so much more, but living 3,000 miles away from home has taught me so much about me as an individual, and allowed me to develop a deeper appreciation for my roots.