This is my last week at home before going back to Tallahassee for classes and work this fall semester. Typically, around this time I am antsy and just waiting for the day I go back. I love spending the summer with my family because I miss them constantly while being so far away. This time has been different though. Do not get me wrong, I love where I go to school and I love my life there. I can not wait to see my friends I have not seen since March and get back to my independence. But, this summer has been full of so many ups and downs that I would not trade for the world, making it that much harder to leave behind.

While I have always been super close to the people I work with, this group of people has certainly changed my life. I have spent a good ninety nine percent of my summer with them both in and outside of work. Throughout this summer they have done everything in their power to make me smile on a daily basis. They have provided me with lifelong friendships that I could not be more grateful for. I can be completely and unapologetically myself around them and I have made memories that I will never forget. I constantly find myself saying to them, "wow you guys are my favorite humans on this planet" because it could not be more true. The laughs and constant smiles we all share whenever we are together are irreplaceable and will be absolutely heartbreaking to leave.

Another major change in my life in my hometown is I now have my boyfriend down here. We have spent most of the summer together and I have become extremely smitten by him. He makes me feel like the only girl in the world and it makes me so sad to leave him here just as we are getting our relationship started. Long distance is something that is so scary to me but my boyfriend's attitude keeps me at ease. He knows we will make it work and does not see the use in stressing over it because it will work. He knows that we both will make visits to see each other and talk all time as we do now, just will be in different cities. That attitude helps make it easier to go back and know it will be okay. However at the same time, I know I will be missing him the whole time I am gone.

I just know I have so many positive things coming to me this semester at school so I am going to keep that in mind when I am getting myself ready to head back up there.