Everyone talks about college being a transition period, yet no one talks about the transition period visiting home once you leave. Over the past three years of college, my visits home have taken on many different reasons and forms. Whether it's visiting for holidays, birthdays, or just to pick stuff up, things have definitely changed.
Freshman Year
My freshman year my visits home were the things I often looked forward to the most. I could see my parents, my friends from high school, and my dog. The visits were often just to get away from the craziness of college and come to a place where I felt accepted and loved, somewhere familiar. I was often trying to balance doing homework along with catching up with people. My parents still treated me like I was in high school and I was totally okay with it. I hadn't been in the mindset that I was on my own either. In the end it was harder to leave back to school because I was so happy to be home. I would begin prepping and getting excited for the next visit home. I think this made my transition into college a bit more difficult.
Sophomore Year
Sophomore year I had my car so I was the one making the journey from MSU to my hometown and it was a giant trip for my parents. It made me feel more comfortable knowing I could go home whenever I wanted. I did not visit home nearly as much as I did my freshman year, coming home for holidays, doctors appointments and the occasional job interview. The relationship with my parents became different, but better. My parents began to see me as an adult, and I began to really see myself as one too. I had my RA job that really occupied my time, my classes were getting harder, and I was making more friends. I was really coming into my own. The visits home became more about re-connecting with my family, and getting the things I needed for back to school. They were still once a month visits but it was becoming easier to leave. I began thinking of MSU as my home as well, and the family I had up there made me want to come back.
Junior Year
Starting this year I had a new job, I was a returning RA which meant more responsibilities and my classes were getting much more difficult. I hadn't been calling my parents as much, and hadn't even mentioned coming home until birthdays came up. Coming home was nice, I had no homework allowing me to catch up with family and relax. The conversations seemed to revolve around classes, and current events happening within our world. My mom asked me when I would be home next, and realizing it wouldn't be until Thanksgiving we both began to get a little sad. I realized my family looked forward to my visits/phonecalls as much as I did. My visits at home will not be as periodic but I will always miss it. I am in a weird transition period where my home is with my family but my home is also at MSU. As time goes on I am curious to see where this leads.
