The closer Thanksgiving gets, the more homesick I become. This past week I realized that Austin, Texas is my new home-- at least it is until I graduate. It's taken me awhile to come to this obvious realization and coming to it has made me miss home more than ever before. Because, in realizing this, I decided to write this article, both for myself and others who are feeling homesick.

Remember that you're not alone and that it's normal to feel homesick. It's not something to be ashamed of.

Keep this in mind; however, don't forget that home will continue to be there. It's important to not let this feeling of wanting to go home cause you to make irrational decisions. I'm a person that often is all-or-nothing. Since I've been constantly missing home, sometimes to an unbearable amount, I've considered packing bags and telling my parents that this just isn't working for me. This is the reason I'm writing this. I might be the only person that has had these thoughts, but chances are I'm not.

I'm a first semester freshman and I'm at this college for a reason. I chose this college for a reason. I even love this college, even though I've been here for a short period of time. These are some of the things that I remind myself when I think about giving up and going home. I think about all of the opportunities I've been given-- and that if I go home-- I'll lose a lot of them. Now, the question I have for you is: what is the reason you are where you are? Hopefully you have something at this place, there are things that you're learning, there are people that you've met that remind you that this is worth it. Home will always be there. Now, I am not stopping the countdown I've started for Thanksgiving, but I have started looking at this whole homesick thing in a different perspective.