This past week was my school’s spring break. I know what you’re thinking; spring break in February? Yep, Michigan’s break is super early since we end school at the end of April.

For this break, two of my closest college friends came to Maryland for the weekend. Together, we did a Segway tour of the monuments and memorials of D.C., went to some delicious restaurants, and visited the University of Maryland. As amazing as these adventures were, my favorite part of the weekend was being able to show my friends what my life was like for the 18 years before attending the University of Michigan.

I never realized how fortunate I truly was to have grown up in Montgomery County, close enough to D.C. that I could metro there for dinner, yet also in suburbia, with hundreds of neighborhoods and parks nearby. As I pointed out my old schools, Cold Spring, Cabin John, and Wootton (my elementary, middle, and high school) to my friends, I couldn’t help but feel both nostalgic and proud.

Also, showing my friends my bedroom and laughing at old pictures of me made me more excited than one may think. This has been my room since kindergarten; it has been a place for me to cry, laugh, do homework, and watch funny movies on Netflix. It is where I hung out with my friends in high school, and now I am able to do the same with my new friends.

So, to my friends who visited, thank you. Not only did I love spending time with you, it also made me appreciate my childhood and hometown even more. Maryland is more than happy to have you both whenever you want to visit! Love you.