My father has a running joke that he would kick us out when we turned eighteen.

He meant that he wanted us to take responsibility for our own lives once we graduated high school. My parents treated me like a mini-adult since I was thirteen. Their trust and respect were not easily earned. It was sometimes stressful to watch my brother when I had piles of homework to do, or to pick up my sister from late-night tech rehearsals when all I wanted to was sleep, or to get groceries after being at the dance studio for four hours.

In the end, all of this taught me if I was able to take care of others, I can take care of myself in college.

One of my biggest strengths is independence I don't like relying on people to do much for me. I like figuring out my own problems, but I always need someone to listen so I can organize my thoughts and come up with a plan. My parents weren't always physically at dance competitions or honor society inductions to support me since I have two younger siblings to take care of.

It doesn't phase me that I was by myself when everyone else was with their families. I knew my parents believed in me and their attendance didn't have to prove that. I never had to hide anything from them and always knew I could ask for their help. There were always there to listen when I needed advice or a shoulder to cry on.

After graduation, I wanted to go to college more than anything.

I wanted a clean slate and leave behind everything that made me feel invisible and invalidated in my hometown. I didn't realize this meant my biggest support group wouldn't be there for me after a rough class.

My mom and dad emphasized to me at an early on that family will be there for you where friends won't be.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being emotional, except when everyone I grew up with would dismiss and ignore how I felt as if I didn't feel guilty enough for making people uncomfortable. My family never made me feel like a burden when I ever felt upset or anxious. I took that emotional support for granted.

My sister and father were tough on me when I was upset. Their tough love helped me to take myself out of situations and put them in a different perspective to find a solution. They were never mad or angry at me for being upset, they weren't mad about the self-deprecating conclusions I made about myself because of it.

My little brother is the happiest boy I know. Whenever I would cry in my room, he'd ask what's wrong, hug me, and tell me not to cry. His smile and laugh light up a room and I miss that in this gloomy Syracuse weather.

My mother is my best friend. I can tell her anything. I miss having a personal confidant who is always on my side. As most mother-daughter relationships, we get into fights, but at the end of the day, I knew she wants me to be happy.

I haven't seen my family since September 3, a couple days after move-in day to bring me some extra supplies for my dorm.

I didn't realize how homesick I actually was until I realized how much I messaged them between whatever free time I had for the most random things. I remember crying in my bed because I wanted to see them again and crying right before they left in the car when they had to drop me off at the dorms.

A close friend of mine from my hometown said, "Jersey isn't far. You could go home for the weekend" and my dad said to tell him whenever I wanted them to visit me. But as I started getting into the college routine with group projects and dance, neither of our schedules lined up. I can't go home till Thanksgiving, which proved to be harder than I expected.

Occasional texts and phone calls fill in the gaps for now, but it's not the same as hearing all about it at home.

I'm missing my brother growing up, my sister's theater rants, my dad's humor, and my mom's hugs. My dad joked that I could always drop out and come home. He isn't the kind of man to admit sadness, but after seeing me, his first child, go to college, he said he missed me for the first time.

My family has supported me since the start to give me the confidence and support to achieve whatever I had my heart set on, going to my dream school being one of them. And now that I'm here, I want to make them proud. I never thought I'd say I want to go back home, but I know my family will be there, and that's all the reason I need to look forward to Thanksgiving and the holidays.