When we become young adults, inches away from being on our own, having the freedom of moving away to college, away from our parents and our life at home that we were used to for so long, I’d say it’s natural to feel excited. We finally made it through high school and all the years when our parents controlled what we did, so the promise of going away to college is something we really look forward to. When we live at home for 18 years, we don’t exactly appreciate all the little things that the comfort of our home provides for us, but personally, I’d say being away from home and at college makes me appreciate coming back to it that much more.

I love my life at college, but coming home is such a comforting thing. I don’t like to do it that often because I’ll admit that I enjoy being on my own at school and getting to know myself as an independent individual. When I do come home though, it makes me realize all the reasons I love my home in the first place. I love the comfort I feel right when I walk through the door–all the familiarity when I walk in and see my kitchen and the rest of the rooms in my house, or I smell something delicious cooking in the kitchen, or I walk into my bedroom and just lie in my bed. I love the warmth and comfort of our woodstove and just sitting in my living room simply relaxing on the couch. It’s all so comfortable and I realize how much I miss it when I’m away. There’s just something about coming back to that familiarity and comfort after being away for a long period of time, that feels so good, and I definitely appreciate it more.

Coming home also makes me realize how much I’ve missed my parents. Not only do I find comfort in my home, but I find comfort in seeing my parents. I’ve gone weeks without seeing them, only phone calls between us, and when I see them in person, I realize how much I’ve missed their presence. When I’m at school I don’t ever find myself missing my parents, because I’m so occupied with other things, but seeing them for the first time in weeks is something I love. I always come home to them with tons to talk about. They ask me questions about my life at school and how I’ve been doing, and I just love being able to catch up with them. When I lived at home, I saw them nearly every day so there was never too much conversation at the dinner table about what I’ve been up to in my life. I know they’re proud of me for challenging myself at school and getting involved in things I love, so it always makes me happy to fill them in on my college endeavors.

When I come home from college I realize all the things I’ve missed. I come home and it’s as though I never left. My home will always be there when I need it, and each time I return to it, I know it’s a place I love to be.