When entering college there are a plethora of stories, and many warnings. They rang from wild parties to late night studying. From life-long friends to those who you will hang out with once. College is all about changing, all about saying “yes” to new adventures. The wild stories that you yourself will tell. However, when leaving home no one ever believes that they will miss the town they spent their childhood in making everyone's so quick to leave. Caught up in the excitement as they pick the school farthest from home. As weeks passed the count down until move in day grew closer and closer. Finally packing up the car, and still there are no emotions of regret or sadness for leaving the place you call home.
The constant preview days of the college build up the urge to never step off the campus and return to the high school life. The people you met during your time over the school year or the summer made college seem so enjoyable. Everything seemed so peaceful, and the stories you have heard from older friends and siblings allowed for the pure lust of the college life to grow. Convincing yourself that it would be all fun and games was simply a pipe dream, Even with the knowledge that school work would tower down on you more than Atlas; the Greek God who was sentenced to hold the entire world on his back. There was always that underlying hope that you would be far from home. Having freedom to do whatever your parents wouldn’t allow you to do.
Nothing hits you yet. Not the two-hour drive with your mom, or the tiring move into the third floor on a blazing hot day with seemingly endless trips with only the two of you carrying your life into a whole new place. Meeting your roommate is a scary yet hopeful event that everyone looks forward to when entering college, understanding that you will be living with this person for the next year of your life. Unpacking might be the only time that you can fully feel the reality of the situation kick in, looking at the six or seven unpacked boxes in your corner of the room and just noticing that your entire life fits into boxes. The goodbye to your family is not allowed to hit you either. Orientation leaders whisk you away for more activities in order to keep you from feeling the immediate regret of your choice. The movement of the day is so rapid. Moving from one station to another, ensuring your brain does not have time to process the big change. Although as weeks passed, and the climb up and down the stairs started to make your legs ache as the constant wave of people leave your room the down time gets to you. Slowly over the course of your time here it sinks in.
The meals aren’t home cooked, your bed doesn’t feel as soft or clearly as big. The long pause between laughs is what gets you the most. Waking up in the morning and realizing you are hours away from your family. Watching games with newly found friends or a familiar smell hits you and you just really miss home. No one ever tells you that you’ll miss the place you used to wake up to every morning and the high school you used to dread.The crappy job you left with amazing co-workers will make you wish you didn’t leave. Even the random calls at two am when all of your friends just want to go bridge jumping. The same faces that made you annoyed upon sight will be missed. Even those who you hadn’t talked to in high school will be missed and the simple times you had that you took for granted when you were there.
Perhaps they never tell you because those who felt homesick went out and changed it. Submerging themselves into the college lifestyle. The most important thing to do when you are feeling homesick is to keep going. There is nothing you can do about the town and the life you left behind to come to your new home. Coming to terms with the fact that life is still going on without you back home. That you’re missing out on other big moments to reach yours seems to be the hardest challenge that freshmen have faced so far. However knowing that your parents, friends, and all of your loved ones want you to do your best, create a new family here with the friends and professors that you meet, and make the life that you want. The life that you dreamed of. The road to success is not an easy one. Although, when you reach your goal, when you wake up to the life you dreamed of one day, you will be thankful that no one told you about being homesick. How you will not let it change your path, but make you work harder for the things you want most in life.
