I never thought that I would miss being home as much as I do when I first came to college. Not much happens in my small hometown, so I could not wait for the excitement that accompanies college life. When I first moved into my dorm, I thought that I would be dreading the trek back home for the holidays, not having a countdown weeks in advanced. There is just something about being home, especially for the holidays, that I can’t seem to find anywhere else.

One of the most important things that I missed from being home is the people. My friend group in my small town in New Jersey dispersed all over the country to go to different colleges. Holidays and breaks are really the only times that we can all see each other. While I do love my friends I made at college and am extremely grateful for them, I miss having the people that I grew up with live right down the street from me. This winter break was a great opportunity to catch up with some of my best friends that I have not seen since August, and that alone is the greatest Christmas gift one can ask for. There are also a lot of family members that I have not been able to see as much as I would like because I have moved to a different part of the country. Holidays have now become the only time where I see these relatives, so that makes this time of year even more special. There is also a sense of familiarity that comes with being home. Driving around my small hometown in New Jersey is much different than trying to navigate the streets of my college town in Florida. Being able to move onto college while still enjoying the ability to go home and spend time with the people you grew up with is such a refreshing feeling that I found this break. It feels good to be able to move onto the next part of your life while also holding onto important parts and familiarity of the past. Also, it is hard to navigate through a grocery store without running into at least three people you went to high school with, whether you were close to them or not. You probably know everyone that was in your graduating class of high school and might even feel obligated to begin some small talk with a few of them. These are just some of the advantages that come with being home for the holidays.

While I do love my college life and I do feel blessed with the opportunities that have been presented to me by Florida State University, I still consider my home to be the small town in New Jersey where I have lived for the majority of my life. I would not give up a second that I have spent at Florida State, but that does not mean I don’t enjoy being able to come up north for a while. And one of the most important times to go back home is during the holidays, so that you can spend it with the people that you do not get to see very often and that mean the most to you.