I am a born and raised Midwesterner.

For the first eighteen years of my life, it was county fairs with every sweet treat imaginable, pumpkin fests at local farms, forest preserves with winding trails, and highways that stretched for miles upon miles. I am a child of mosquito-infested summer nights, bitter winters that have frosted my toes for as long as I can remember, and blue skies that look too perfect to be real.

When I decided to go to college on the East Coast, I remember the initial reaction that most of my extended family and friends had- shock. No one really leaves the Midwest, or at least, not for that long. It makes sense, there are incredible universities in every state, and overall it is an incredible place to raise a family. Leaving is usually not a part of the equation.

I remember during the last part of my senior year of high school how desperately I wanted to leave, to explore, to feel as if I was finally pursuing adventure. And I did. I chose an amazing school on the East Coast and have been very happy with my choice. My school is not perfect, but it's the perfect fit for me. I joined a sorority and found sisters for life-long friends, as well as joining a host of extracurricular activities and meeting new friends from all over the world. It has truly been the journey of a lifetime.

But, in the back of my mind, I can still feel it. Call it an itch, a pull, a sense of wanderlust. It's the desire to be surrounded by endless stretches of land that take my breath away with every hill, to see people smile in my direction when I pass by, and to smile at little kids playing basketball in worn-out driveways until late hours of the night.

I think one of the things I miss the most is driving. The roads stretch as far as I can see and then some. I'll roll down the windows and let the wind surge into my car, my dog as my trusty navigator in the passenger seat. You never have to stop driving, and I've been on more road trips with friends and family than I can count.

I have two homes now, one near and one far, varying depending on where I'm at at that moment. Life right now is exciting and fast-moving, but it doesn't mean that I don't like to slow it down every once in awhile . To all my friends who have listened to me blab about my hometown before, sorry not sorry. At the end of the day, there really is no place like home.