For me, defining “home” was always hard. I moved around a lot as a kid so home was just the house that I was living in at the time. I did not really understand what a “home” felt like because I was always preparing to move to the next place. Everyone told me that during college I would feel homesick but I did not get what being homesick even was.

I moved to my current town in eighth grade. I never felt particularly attached to it. It is a boring small town in the middle of nowhere. I always hated how there was nothing to do so I rarely went out around town unless there was something I needed to do. I couldn’t wait to get out of this town and I counted down the days until I left for college.

When I did leave for college, I was extremely excited to finally get away. I loved my college and my college town. I loved the huge busy campus. I loved that I could get on a bus and go to the mall even if the only attraction in it was target. I loved walking around town and checking out all of the stores. It felt like this was the place I was meant to be. This place finally felt like a place that I could call my “home”.

Now that I am back in my hometown for the summer, I have realized many things. This town was never an actual home for me, it was just the place I lived. I finally learnt what being homesick is. I learnt what having a “home” really is.

To my hometown, you are not bad place. Many people enjoy you and your small town in the middle of nowhere charm. You just aren’t the place for me. Thank you for being one of the stepping stones on my path towards finding my home!