As a kid, I looked forward to celebrating the Jewish holidays with my friends and family. While I grasped the basic idea of Rosh Hashanah- the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur- the day of forgiveness, I did not expand beyond that. I did not realize how much it meant to me to go to my grandparent's house to have delicious cooked meals and to spend time with my friends and family. I did not think about how much I looked forward to breaking the fast on Yom Kippur at my great Aunt's house, sitting at the kids' table with my sister and cousin. I remember feeling excited about having a day off from school and getting dressed up to go to services.

Celebrating the holidays in 2016 has been extremely different from the past. I did not attend any family dinners or go to services at my synagogue with my Hebrew school class. While I attended services with two of my close friends from home, it was not the same. The tunes to the songs were not the ones that I knew from home, and I did not see my family smiling at me during the service. It did not feel like I was even celebrating the holidays, at first.

I am so fortune to attend a school that has a very active Jewish community, and I am forever grateful for all of the Jewish friends that I have made here who understand what I am going through. I learned that while my experience with the holidays may be different from home, that is not necessarily a bad thing. I chose to go to services on my own and to fast on Yom Kippur, and by these actions, I am making my own traditions that I will continue throughout my time in college.

While my religion is not what defines me, it is a part of who I am. I am now more active in Jewish life than I ever have been when I was at home. This positive transition has made it easier for me not to be homesick on the holidays when I was away from family, friends, and delicious home cooked meals. I am so happy that I have found my place with my second Jewish family at the University of Maryland.