Like most high school seniors I could not wait to leave the little bubble that was my hometown. I wanted to meet new people, have new experiences and leave the growing negativity that seemingly came with suburb of Syracuse I live in. However, what I learned when I came home for the first time after starting college is that it is okay to love where you come from.

Naturally, coming from Syracuse I am a diehard Syracuse fan and that made me an easy target for people to tell me how much they hated my hometown. "You guys cheat, you've only won one National Championship..." and so on. I went on to defend where I am from with a fierce passion. Nobody can talk bad about my town, people learned that quick. I will defend the Orange until the day I day.

Bigger than sports, my family is here. Once again, like many 18 year olds I thought that going away would show my mom that I am an adult that has it all together. Well, I was wrong. After talking on the phone to my mom everyday, I was getting pretty anxious to go home. There was nothing better than coming home on my first break and seeing her, my dad, my dogs, my sisters and brother that I left at home. I got to sleep in my bed, see my high school friends and eat some good home-cooked food.

Being from a large family, food has always been a large part of our life. Not only when I came home did I get home cooking, I also got to eat at the local restaurants that I never realized I would miss. There is the pizza place that is much better than the drunk pizza you get every weekend. The ice cream place that has original flavors that you cannot get in my little college town. And then there is Chipolte. The closest one at school is an hour away, so I have to go every time I am home.

So for a girl that could not wait to leave, I sure do love coming home. I have learned that no one will love you like your family does and you will not love any food like you do your hometown restaurants.