I love college, and I’m definitely glad I went to school moderately far away from my home. On most days, I’m perfectly content being at school, but like most college students, I miss my home some days even though sometimes I don’t want to admit it.

What I’ve come to realize in college among many other life skills, is that even if you don’t think you like your hometown, there truly is nothing better than coming home to your family and their comfort. I feel like college has made me appreciate my family even more than I thought I did before.

Now that I don’t see them everyday, it makes the time when I do see them even more special. Family is one of those things that will be with you for your whole life, and will never abandon you, unlike others you will meet throughout your life. I used to want to go to school as far away from my home as possible, but now I find myself wishing I was closer to home so I could see my family more often, especially when the going gets rough.

School can be stressful sometimes, to put it mildly, and instead of sitting at a desk staring at my homework while being sad, I’d much rather sit in my bed at home with the comfort of my family while being sad. There is also nothing better than sleeping in your own bed! While my bed at school is all right, it is just not as comfortable or comforting as my bed at home.

Another aspect I’m learning in college is that I wish I had appreciated the time I had at home more, instead of always wishing away my life. I used to think nothing would change when I went away from home, but I was wrong. While I still have my parents and family, instead of just a walk down the upstairs hallway, they’re a phone call or Skype call away. And let’s face it, phone calls and/or Skype just doesn’t cut it sometimes, because sometimes I just want an actual hug from my parents.

Coming home from college is also just not the same as living at home, because I always know whenever I come home that my time is limited. I get really excited to come home for breaks, and then I get really sad to leave. While I love school, sometimes I just don’t want to deal with the stress that comes along with classes, work, and people anymore, because it just gets to be too much at times.

I guess the moral of the story is appreciate what you have while you have it. I wouldn’t give up my life at college for anything, but I also wish that I still had more time to live at home and appreciate my parents. So cherish what you have, and make sure to love your home.