In the weeks leading up to college move-in day, you were probably a flurry of anticipation, nerves, and excitement. You literally counted the minutes until you escaped to sweet, sweet freedom, but there was that whole decision on what to actually bring with you. Are those photo albums really necessary, or that favorite stuffed animal? With the limited 12x19 feet you have to share with your new roommate, you have to be very selective with what you actually choose to keep with you in this new chapter of your life. I'm not going to lie, It was hard seeing the last 18 years of my life packed into cardboard boxes, but nothing compared to the dilemma I was faced with when I actually came back home for break.

My room was exactly how I had left it, but it wasn't. The queen-sized bed lay undisturbed, the stacks of books I had collected over the years were beside my nightstand where I had left them, but there was something that was notably missing. This didn't feel like my room anymore, or my home for that matter, but then again neither did my dorm room. So there it was, the moment that I realized that I was in a sense, homeless. I had multiple places where I lived, but that was all that they were. Nothing more than four walls, and a roof over my head. It was a house, but not a home. The sentiment that was linked to my old home was gone, yet I hadn't created enough attachment to my dorm for it to be considered home. So, where did that leave me? I was stuck in a proverbial limbo, and the lack of stability was really taking a toll. That warm feeling in my chest that comes with walking through the door, that familiar smell of pine, all of it was vacant and unfamiliar. I was desperately seeking a comfort that wasn't there anymore. The next question that I asked myself was, what do I do about it now?

I am sure that during one point in this transitional stage of life, we are all faced with this crisis of what home actually is, now that we have entered the next chapter. However, with my own contemplation of this impending question, I have come to the conclusion that we are actually supposed to feel this way. The fact of the matter is, that if you are encountering change, it is most certainly going to make you uncomfortable. You took the first step, and now you are somewhere on a path that is unpredictable, unfamiliar, and even a little bit terrifying. Your comfort zone lies far behind you, and you may want to turn back, but you can't. You may not realize it, but you are different now that you've spent the last months away from your childhood home. You see the world through wiser eyes, a development that can only come from the experience that change brings. Keep taking small steps forward, even if you are unsure about where the path is taking you. Make friends along the way. Take time to stop and smell the roses, daisies, tulips or whatever flower that you want. This is a time in your life, that is meant for your self-exploration, and for making your own decisions. Let your past experiences be nothing more than a light to guide your way. Besides, having a home isn't about where you live -- it is about the people that are in it.