We've spent the majority of our lives thus far living at home. What defines this "home" can be different for everybody, but one thing that it guarantees is a feeling of security and sense of belonging. Being taken from that secure environment can take a toll on people and homesickness can become inevitable. No matter what path you're traveling, it's OK to miss home.
For most people, homesickness comes in waves. Time spent at college is almost always occupied. Between going to class, studying, clubs and organizations and, of course, the time spent doing all the fun college stuff with your friends, we're almost always busy. But then suddenly, you have some free time. You're sitting alone and realize just how much you love your life at college, but then remember just how much you miss your life at home. And just like that, a wave of homesickness comes over you.
When we're away at college, we miss the home we've always known. The one where we grew up with our parents, siblings and even our pets. The one that is 10 minutes from our grandma's home-cooked meals and our high school friends' houses. Leaving this behind isn't easy, and it will definitely be missed. But missing something means that you're lucky enough to have it.
The important thing to remember about being homesick is that when the opportunity to return to our beloved home arrives, not much has changed. The town you grew up in looks the same, your bedroom is untouched and your family welcomes you with open arms. It's a blessing to have a warm and loving home to return to while we spend four years at our temporary home away at college (which we will eventually develop a homesickness for somewhere down the line).
When it comes down to it, though, it's not our physical homes that we miss, but the people that fill them that we miss the most. So give your parents a call, send your grandma a card or even take a road trip to visit your best friends at their own college, because it's OK to miss home; it just proves how special it is to us.
