Growing up, I had a home. A singular place that I lived in from the time I was five, where I accidentally tumbled down the stairs right after moving in and where I got ready for my high school graduation. My twin sister and I had sleepovers in our den, stored books in our basement, cooked and baked in the kitchen, celebrated Christmas in the living room. The memories that I have in my home are too many to retell. The problem is, I moved away from all of that. I left that home behind and I moved into Circle 7-2 223 at Liberty University with two awesome roommates. Instead of parents, I had RA’s and SLC’s. Instead of a kitchen, I had a dining hall. I had a new home. And I loved it!

I loved having a sleepover every night with my two awesome roommates. I loved being able to walk across the hall at 2 a.m. and freak out about the latest Marvel trailer with my fun new friends. I loved learning new things from exciting Christian professors. I loved going to Convocation three times a week to worship and learn with my Liberty family. I loved celebrating birthdays with close-knit friend groups, cheap presents, and off campus dinners. I loved movie nights on the lawn, when half of campus showed up for late night movies and free popcorn. I loved rock climbing at the gym, attending Thomas Road Baptist Church on Sundays, watching Sherlock at midnight in my twin’s dorm. My new life and home took my breath away and stole my heart. The freedom and independence of college was something I had never experienced before and I drank them in like someone dying of thirst.

The problem with falling in love with a new home is leaving it. College might be my home for most of the year, but I was still home-bound this May. For three months, I’m back at my first home. I have wonderful memories in this house and I’m making more, but it isn’t the same home anymore. Now, my parents going to bed at eleven is annoying because they suddenly think I need the same bedtime as them. I can’t shower at midnight because I might wake them up. I can’t just walk wherever I want because the suburbs don’t work like that and I don’t own a car, so sometimes I’m trapped in my house. I have to figure out what I’m going to eat for every meal instead of walking into a dining hall full of chefs.

Being home is great, don’t mistake me for hating it. I have a loving family, a wonderful dog, my own private room, home cooked food, and a great church here. I’m looking forward to working this summer. Helping my grandma makes me smile. I don’t have to wear shower shoes. I have a TV. I don’t have room cleanliness checks three times a week. My dear friends from high school are home for the summer too. I can drive places instead of bumming rides off friends. There are a thousand small details I love about this place. Home just isn’t quite home anymore because I have a new home. My Liberty home and my house home will now be in constant comparison, even though they are completely different places.

I wish I could separate them, but right now it seems impossible. Maybe an upperclassman would know how. I’ll let you know if I ever figure it out. Until then, I will do my best to appreciate their differences instead of compare them. Yes, the mountains in Virginia are beautiful. But living in an actual house is wonderful too. Yes, being able to regulate myself and do whatever I want is fun. But spending quality time with my family is fun too. Yes, I miss my college friends. But I have awesome friends here too.

I can be

happy in both places because both places have great qualities. Home isn’t home anymore because I have two homes. I cannot go back to a time when home meant only this house, only this part of my life. However, I can appreciate both places I call home while I am there. I can live my life fully wherever I am, thanking God for the blessing of being so comfortable in so many places. My friend once told me happiness is a choice and I understand now that it is. I can choose to look at the good while I am in this home. It has so many good things to offer. And if you are like me and you are now struggling with the duality of the word home, take a deep breath. Having more than one home is okay. Both places are filled with people who love you. You are learning and growing in both places. You and I are blessed to have multiple places where we are so comfortable and so happy. Appreciate it.