Growing up I always thought that I would leave my hometown of London, Ohio, and never come back. I could not wait to get out of that place. The only things to do were bowl, watch the only movie that was playing at the movie theater, or go to one of the many pizza places that were there. You can also never forget about the cornfields, which is an Ohio staple. I knew my family was there, and I would go back for them, but not much else. I was that stereotypical high school student that just wanted out. I decided to go away to college, and to Bowling Green State University.

I was in for a rude awakening about how much I would miss my hometown in college.

It is said that one will not talk to their high school friends after they graduate and go their separate paths in life. This has been very incorrect in my life. My friends and I have been talking and keeping up to date in one another's lives non stop. Whether it be a new relationship, an old ending, or simply just needing some emotional support because college is rough, my high school friends have always been there. This makes my hometown mean so much more. I would at first be excited to not only see my family, but my friends when I would go home.

This was a conflicting feeling of before, obviously because I actually wanted to go home.

Over the past couple of years, London has been through several deaths that happened with people active in the community. Each one of these deaths has impacted everybody in our small community., has been heartbreaking. I have seen so much pain from former classmates, and I wish I could do something to help them out. To say the least, my little hometown, and my friends, mean something more to me now.

I am proud of where I come from now. Anytime that something traumatic happens, you see the community come together through Facebook or other social media platforms. It is truly inspiring. Whether it be through a GoFundMe for a person struggling financially, a lost pet that gets shared and found, or even when an there is an unfortunate death. London comes together, and I love my hometown now.

There will always be people from my hometown that I do not see eye to eye with, or that I just do not talk to. Yes, there is only a movie theater, pizza places and a bowling alley, but those are my places I can go with my friends and family. I feel genuinely excited that I can go home for Thanksgiving break, and that I will be able to see the people who have always been there for me and have seen me grow up. I am so blessed that one of those pizza places accept me back as an employee whenever I am home for extended periods of time. It will always have its ups and downs, but I am forever thankful for the person that my hometown has made me.

London, Ohio, thank you for being my home. No matter how far I go, I will never forget where I come from.