When I left this tiny town for a college campus

I didn't realize the things I would be leaving behind

I knew I was leaving my family,

my friends, my dog, and many other things

It didn't take long for me to miss

the tapping sounds made by the dogs when they

came in the house.

Or the smell of coffee in the morning mixed with

the noises of my family running around downstairs.

The things I missed most

were the things I thought were little.

The things that had become a constant in my life.

The feel of a car on a gravel road,

music blaring from the car speakers as

the dust flies behind us.

Finding new places and creeks,

exploring caves and getting into trouble.

Sneaking in and sneaking out,

bonfires with my friends that went way too late,

playing Super Smash Bros and watching each other fail

at playing on the Nintendo 64

The way the cats curl into your lap

when you have sat still for too long.

Watching the kittens play and pounce

in the spring.

The screaming of my siblings downstairs

when one of them lost the game.

Everyone being 20 minutes and

a text away.

Now that I am surrounded by these

things once again, I have started to miss

certain things about college life.

My friends being just a couple doors down,

the fact that there are people everywhere.

The noises of the city as opposed to

the crickets in the woods.

Being able to walk almost everywhere

when I needed something or wanted to

go somewhere was something I never thought

I would miss.

Playing Mario Kart and watching movies

until 3 in the morning,

Coming up with challenges for

whoever won the race.

Playing board games and complaining

about classes.

There is always a dog on campus

and looking for the cat that likes to hide

in certain places.

When I leave this town again

I know what I'll really miss

and that's okay because I

know what's waiting for me

when I get to campus.

Leaving campus in the spring will

be bittersweet again but I still

know what will be waiting for me

back in this tiny town

I never though I would miss.