I've always known that I am incredibly lucky to have such an amazing community and family, but I also have taken it for granted and didn't really realize it until I came back from college. I've been so overwhelmed with love and comforted with familiarity this break, and I've had quite a few moments when I've just stopped and looked around and realized how great home feels.

Home is sitting around Thanksgiving dinner, laughing with your family about old jokes. It's finally getting to eat the food that you've been thinking about for weeks. It's playing games and watching Christmas movies with the fireplace crackling in the background.

Home is going back to the places in your town that you went to in high school with your best friends. It's catching up on girl talk and cuddles and late night adventures. It's friends and neighbors randomly dropping by to say hi. It's spontaneous adventures and Friendsgiving. Home is where someone asks how you are and you can be real with them.

Home is people from rival schools watching their football teams play each other (Go Dawgs). It's smack talk and pranks that are all in good fun. It's planning visits and what you're going to do during Christmas break. It's seeing snap stories and posts of everyone reuniting with their groups.

Home is catching up on Netflix and rewatching old favorites with your family. It's doing puzzles with your mom and feeding your dog from the table at dinner. It's falling asleep on the couch and not worrying about having to wake up for anything.

Home is a break from the craziness of college. It's putting all your homework off until Sunday night and not worrying about finals. It's getting to be nothing but yourself with the people who've known and loved you all your life.

I know that not everyone has an experience like mine and, for a lot of people, the holidays are a really stressful time. But even if your house and your family don't feel like home, there's someplace that will. Home is where something or someone makes you feel blissful and peaceful and you feel like you can be completely yourself.

I hope everyone has a happy holiday and enjoys their home, wherever or whoever it is!