Going home for Thanksgiving was the most amazing feeling that I experienced this year for the first time. Before I moved away for college, Thanksgiving was simply another day off from school that just so happened to be a major holiday on which I ate a lot of food with my family and friends. It was fun, and I always looked forward to it, but I never really realized how thankful I was for everything in my life.

This year was different. I spent the three weeks before the holiday counting down the days until I could finally go home. When Tuesday arrived and I packed my bags, went to the airport, and got on my plane, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I was so excited to go home; I could hardly contain it. I fell asleep as soon as I got on the plane and dreamt about seeing my family and friends and eating copious amounts mashed potatoes and stuffing. When I woke up and looked out the window, I saw my beautiful city: New York. I was almost home.

As soon as I got my suitcase, I raced toward the exit of Laguardia and beat out everyone on my flight for the first taxi home. As the cab sped across the bridge, I saw the skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan sparkling in the distance. At that moment, I felt unbelievably grateful to live in New York City, the best city in the world.

When I opened the door to my apartment, it smelled like home. I walked around looking for my family, but they were nowhere to be found. Finally, I found my mom. She enveloped me in a warm hug, and I inhaled the scent of my wonderful, loving mom, otherwise known as a mix of perfume and hair products. Seeing her smile and hearing her tell me how happy she was for me to be home made me realize how lucky I am to have a mother like her.

Unlike many of my friends, I have always been equally close to my dad and my mom. So, when my dad came home from work later that day, I ran to the door and hugged him like I had never hugged him before. Hearing his British accent, which I had grown so accustomed to, made me smile from ear to ear. I was finally home, and it felt great.

I didn't see my little sister, Olivia, until the next morning, but when we finally reunited, I felt complete again. My sister is the most important person in my life. She is my only sister, my best friend, and my partner in crime. Although she is six years younger than me, she is already two inches taller than me and never lets me forget it. Olivia makes every single day fun and full of excitement. She is the light of my life. I realized how much I had missed my baby sister.

Thanksgiving itself was a blur. In the morning, we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from our apartment windows with our friends just like we had for the past 20 years. Then, my sister and I continued our yearly tradition of going to the movies after the parade. Later that afternoon, my family drove to our house in Connecticut to have dinner with our closest family friends, which is what we have done every Thanksgiving that I can remember. It was an evening full of delicious food, laughter, and a competitive game of charades.

This Thanksgiving was different from previous Thanksgivings because for the first time, I no longer lived at home; I lived in a dorm at college. Coming home for Thanksgiving for the first time was an experience like no other. It made me realize how grateful I was for my family, friends, and the privileged life that I lead. I am very thankful for everything and everyone in my life.