The time has finally come. I am made aware that the semester is over by the smell of the trees and the flowers in bloom. I have finished my finals. I have overcome all of the obstacles that I have faced this year. It's time for me to pack up all of my things and head home.
I am greeted with hours of traffic and the sweet smell of the ocean breeze. It's so refreshing to be home. It feels almost silly to be so relieved since I was only an hour away, but there is something so comforting and soothing about returning home for the summer. If there is anything that I've learned from going away to college, it's that it's important to cherish the time you have at home.
Home has always been a question for me. I moved out of my childhood home when I was in 8th grade, and ever since then I have always wondered where home truly is. As I grew older, I learned that home is not a destination, it is a feeling. My mother and I moved out of our second house when I was in 10th grade, and on our own we found our own place to live, completely free. We moved into our new home, and honestly, it's not perfect, but there is something so special about it. It's a reminder of all of the struggles that my Mom has faced, the sacrifices she made for me to be happy. Home is hugging my Mom after being away from her for three months. Home is where my Mom is, home is where my cats are.
Sophomore year was weird, to say the least. Coming into a new year after being a confused and awkward freshman is a culture shock. It's difficult to transition between being lost for two semesters, to having people that were just like you, looking up to you and asking for help. When you're a sophomore, you're expected to understand how college works, but it's not that simple. College life is not a math equation. It's not something that has a definite answer. Sometimes there is no answer at all, but we're expected to find one.
After sophomore year, I have come to a better understanding of what college life is like. I don't think, actually, I know that I have not learned everything. I just hope that I figure all of this out before I graduate.
I'm a junior in college now. That's weird to say.
