In that instant, I knew my allergies had set in. Somehow this pollen was magnified in power like it was a lab designed super pollen. In actuality, my time in the city had made my body almost forget that there was a world outside of the smog polluted concrete jungle that I had grown quickly accustomed to.

After my allergies faded a bit to the background of my attention, I was able to recognize the sweet suburbia outside the bus window. The tall maple trees that bent into a protective stance over someone’s childhood home reminded me of the life I had left behind when I decided to go to a city school. I had forgotten just how fulfilling sitting on a little farm tucked behind an old small town could be.

Luckily, the apple picking festival that my school took me to came just in time to be a much-needed reminder of my roots.

Many people talk about moving to the big city and never looking back, but it is not that simple. Once a small town girl, you will always have those vibes in your heart; I know I do. Much of the time this manifests itself in small ways: being extra appreciative of a stroll through the park, insisting on getting to know the owners of the local cafe, or even just taking your morning commute a little slower. All these things are just a faint grasp at the old life, but sometimes you need a break, as I learned.

When we get off the bus I could have literally sunk to my knees and bowed down to the real dirt that I found. And by real dirt, I mean, like, raw farm soil.

Sun shines a bit different in the country, too. It’s not something that you may be able to fully appreciate unless you’re from a rural area, but there’s something about rocking lazily on a wooden swing with your face raised gleefully up to the sun.

Apples taste a bit sweeter when you pick them yourself. (Especially because the price drastically decreases as soon as you leave the city limits.)

And pumpkin patches? Apparently, those aren’t a thing you can see every day in the city, so they become even more special. For some reason, I suddenly became a child again as I leaped through the field thinking of all the times I watched Charlie Brown in the fall and wished for the Great Pumpkin to visit. Walking through a city with a pumpkin so you can get into the Halloween spirit is great and all, but there's nothing better than the smell of a fresh farm as you pick your own pumpkin from the farmer herself.

Imagine my delight as I saw little farm animals and got to ride in a carriage. It’s these small things that have been such a commonality that you begin to miss when you move to the city. The thing is: I didn’t even realize how much I missed them until it was time to board the bus and come back to school.

Overall, I just want to say that we all need to take a break. Get out of the city. You can try as you might, but there is no possible way to shake your roots. Once you get back there, you will fall back in love with it all over again.