At the beginning of the semester, I had the pleasure of attending the Made In America music festival in Philadelphia. It was a day filled with great music, dancing in tight crowds, barely eating, and bonding with new friends. One of the bands that played was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, who sings one of my favorite songs, "Home". As I sang along to the lyrics, "Home is wherever I'm with you", with people I'd only known for a few weeks, I was struck by how at home I felt.
These lyrics came back to me this past weekend when I went to visit my two best friends at school. It was the stereotypical girls' weekend: eating junk food, venting about boys, shopping, and crying through cheesy romantic comedies. I couldn't have asked for a better few days with two of my favorite people. Even though I was sleeping in someone else's dorm room at a university I'd never been to, I felt at home.
Looking back now, there were so many times throughout the semester that I made me feel this way. Moving away from home and transitioning to college was hard, and there were many times that I felt alone. However, there have been even more times that I felt perfectly at home, despite being almost two hours away from my actual home. Homework parties that turn into dance parties. Navigating the train by myself for the first time. Screaming until I couldn't feel my throat in spirit lines at Fall Fest. Bonding with people over the strangest things, like the way we pronounce words or our favorite restaurants back home. Getting an A on an exam that I truly thought I bombed. Staying up late with friends talking about anything from funny high school stories to our hopes for the future. All of the little moments may not seem to be much at the time, but they shape up to create something special: home.
I've learned a lot in the three months I've been gone, but one of the most important things is this: home is not just a place; it's a feeling. It's a feeling of security and comfort unlike any other. I have a house in Pennsylvania, but I have a home in everyone that's touched my life. I have a home in the laughter and memories I've created both before and during my time in college. I'm so very thankful to have a little piece of home from here to the west coast and everywhere in between.
With two days of classes left before I leave for break, I am thrilled to be going home. I'm excited to sleep in my own bed and shower without shoes on, but it's so much more than that. I'm excited for the feelings of love, comfort, and support that my family provides. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the feeling of home I have and the amount of places that I have it in.
