As we get older, it seems as though life speeds up. We go from the simple lives we have at a young age, where essentially every aspect of our day is planned by our parents, to eventually gaining complete independence. During college, we become so fixated on our academics, extra-curricular activities, social lives, and thinking about our futures in the real world that it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Throughout high school, I would speak about how I couldn't wait to get away and go to college and leave my boring hometown that had become all too familiar to me. By 18, it seems as though we've done everything there is to do with our free time: The mall, bowling alley, movie theater, and mini golf are now places of the past. Leaving home for college is great, I have been able to meet new people, become more independent and see new places. However, despite all of these things, being away has given me something I never thought I would regain: An appreciation for the town I had and will continue to call my home.

Home is where my family is. The place where my parents greet me with open arms and home-cooked meals. Home is where my best friends from growing up and high school can reunite. Home is where I'm reminded of all of the memories I've made through the years. It's the place I know best and is where many of my favorite restaurants and stores are located. Most importantly, home is where I feel safe. It is a place for me that, no matter where I am and how stressed I may be, I can come to and it just seems to make things feel better.

No matter where life takes me in the next few years, I will always be thankful for the town and familiar faces in it that have shaped me into who I am today. There truly is no place like home.