Going into your freshmen year of college there are a million things you are looking forward to, whether its to make new friends, join Greek life, start classes, or to finally be on your own and away from your parents who couldn't seem to get a grip when you exchanged your goodbyes when they dropped you off. As weeks go by, you are settled in, enjoying (or hating) your classes and loving college life, but you begin to miss home. Being homesick is not only a common occurrence or feeling for freshmen, but it's for all of us, doesn't matter what year you are.

Being a junior this year I would say I have felt homesick even more than I did when I was that young freshmen telling my parents to stop calling me everyday and asking about every detail of my new life in Springfield, Missouri. As you get older in college, your classes begin to get more tough, you're stressed trying to get that internship you want, and the anxiety with preparing to soon graduate is at its peak, you seek comfort. That comfort may be to take a break by spending time with friends or going out, or hey even taking a trip to Hurts Donuts and drowning yourself in yummy goodness, but for me, it's being home. At first, I couldn't wait to leave my hometown and move to Missouri State University so I wouldn't have to follow my parents rules of setting the table and cleaning my room before I can go to a friend's house, but here I am almost done with my junior year of college and I count down the days until I am able to go home. My name is Sophia Marren and I am a homebody.

A homebody by definition means someone who prefers to do activities at home and takes pleasure in being home. After reading that definition you are probably sitting there thinking that you fill that definition, but a homebody can be defined in a deeper sense. In a deeper sense I mean most times you choose to stay home instead of going out for a night on the town with your friends or going to that social event, you would rather be at home because you treat it as your place of escape, your safe haven. Now I am not saying being a homebody means you are a social outcast and a loner who never sees daylight, but you tend to gravitate to the option of staying home instead of doing other activities, even though you may end up deciding to go out for that night on the town. Being a homebody is a blessing and a curse that at times can make it difficult to deal with being in a college environment, especially when you miss home. Being in college, I am always faced with decisions of going out to the bars or clubs, when sometimes I would much rather have a movie night and stay in.

It's okay to get homesick, trust me we all do, it will come and go. My mom used to be the one texting me everyday, and now I am the one blowing up her phone, just to chat. It might get difficult and at times you could feel like you are missing out on the many things that college life has to offer, so here I am telling you, don't let you being homesick affect your college years, turn being a homebody in college to a positive quality, it will make counting down those days till you are home even better.