If you're anything like I was, you're counting down the days until you turn 18 and can leave the town you've always been forced to call home. Your friends, family, teachers, coaches, and everyone else keep telling you the same awful line: "Don't wish your life away. You're gonna miss this." They're crazy, right? I thought so, too. I grew up in this small, one red light, hole in the wall town that hardly anyone has ever heard of. The kind of town where even when you didn't know what you're doing, someone else did. Gossip spread like wildfire and secrets were nonexistent. Because you can't hear something in town without telling your second cousin's ex's mom, right? I couldn't wait to get out, and when I got the chance, I hit the road running. But there are a few things that I miss about my old small town life back home.
No Real Responsibilities.
Sure, you're in high school and you play every sport, and you're in every club, AND you have a part time job at the local fast food joint. I get it. I did, too. But once you move out and you're on your own, you start to miss those days. Now all of a sudden you've got two essays, four quizzes and a presentation in class this week. You're scheduled to work 40 hours on top of being a full time student, your rent is due next week. You're living on bottled water and Ramen noodles, and you don't even want to think about the pile of laundry in the corner. All you want to do is go back to living with your parents, using their money, eating their food, and letting your mom do all of your laundry.
You Don't Have Financial Help Anymore
Your parents have told you throughout high school to get a job so you can pay for your own gas and use your own money if you want to go out with your friends that weekend but they still slipped you a 20 every now and then when you asked. Now you check your bank account and that $2.74 is mocking you. Maybe you should've listened when they told you to learn to manage your money better.
Home Cooking
Guys, I cannot stress this enough. ENJOY EVERY HOME COOKED MEAL YOU GET. This is by far the hardest thing I've had to get used to since moving off. I grew up with a great-grandmother who would cook everyone supper when we all got out of school or practice or off work. Now I'm sitting in a dorm with another bowl of noodles in front of me knowing that the rest of my family is at her house eating food from her garden and drinking her sweet tea. Seriously. Do not take home cooked meals for granted.
That "Pointless" Summer Job
You know the one I'm talking about. The one that wasn't a "real" job, you just needed a couple extra bucks for gas, food, and alcohol for the weekend. (Sorry, mom and dad!) It was probably mowing grass, babysitting, or in my case, life guarding. You just needed the job to make it weekend to weekend and while you worked there, there was more than likely days when you were bored out of your mind because it was such a slow day. Fast forward to being on your own and working a legitimate job and see how long it takes you to miss letting some little kid watch Spongebob all day while you stay on your phone.
High School
I'm absolutely out of my mind, I know. Just trust me. I know that waking up that early every morning sucks, and there's that one teacher that just ruins your day every time you see them, but 8 a.m. classes in college are so much worse that 8 a.m. classes in high school. In high school, you were with your best friends for 7-8 hours a day. You always had something to do on Friday nights because football is basically the second religion in your town. Your teachers were always there for you and would do whatever it took to help you succeed because "no child gets left behind." I hated high school when I was in it, but looking back, I would give anything for one more day walking down those halls.
Your Family
This is the most obvious yet overlooked thing you'll miss. I know your family gets on your nerves 99.9 percent of the time but trust me. You're going to miss your little brother busting into your room without knocking. You're going to miss your little sister taking your clothes without asking. You're going to miss your mom being right down the hall at all times, and you're going to miss your dad telling you that no boy will ever be good enough for you. You're going to miss all of the annoying things.
So take it all in. I know you think I'm crazy now, but I was just like you not too long ago. Being on your own is amazing but you really will be homesick every now and then.
