This is it. The cars are loaded, I've said my goodbyes to my room and my family. It's time to actually leave. Yes, I won't be too far from home, but it's the end of an era. I'm finally leaving this small town that has been home for so long. I'm leaving the familiarity, most of my memories, and the people that have seen me through all the phases of my life. It's a little scary, but only because I don't know what's ahead of me. I'm moving into a dorm building that has an occupancy that is twice the size of my graduating class. No one from my school years is going to be there with me. Most of the people I encounter won't know anything about me.

Leaving my hometown was all I thought about for a good part of my last two years of high school. I would look at my assignments with disgust and sigh to myself, "I just want to get out of here and start my life." Getting out into the "real world" was always the goal. I worked so hard to get the grades so that I could get into a college that would take me out of town. But, as the day to leave approached, I found myself feeling more anxious than excited. Don't get me wrong, I was elated to be able to start a new chapter in my life, but I couldn't help but to feel worried about the unknown. Everyone kept telling me how exciting it is to be able to move out and start my "new life." I nodded and smiled. It was exciting, but man, why didn't people seem to understand that it's kinda scary too?

As I got used to being in college, I found myself missing a lot of things that I expected to miss. I missed Friday night football games and wearing purple on Fridays. I missed walking from class to class and knowing that I'd see a minimum of five people that I knew very well. Of course I missed having my own room and my family. I missed not having to share a bathroom with about a bunch of other people. I missed the friends that I made. I missed being involved in all of the things that I was. I missed just having my car in the driveway, not some parking lot a mile away. That all made sense to me. People told me that I would miss stuff like that.

But, then I started to miss stuff that made no sense to me. I missed the way that I knew exactly what was around me. I couldn't (and still can't) tell you half of the restaurants that are around me, but back home, I knew about everything. I even found myself missing aspects of my life back home that I didn't like. I missed the silliest little stuff. I missed the way that my teachers pretty much knew exactly what I was capable of. I missed the way that I didn't have to look up directions to get somewhere in town. I missed some people from school that I didn't even really talk to during school. Situations at college always seem to remind me of things that happened back home, but there's no one at college to laugh with me about the crazy things we went through. I missed being able to just tell a story and not have to explain who everyone is. It was just the simple, little things that I missed.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love my new life in college. I love being able to be on my own and spread my wings. But, that doesn't stop me from reminiscing on my life in my hometown. There is so much good in my "new life," but I find myself thinking about what I miss about that small town sometimes. Small town life has its good and bad, but it was my life and will always be a huge part of my story.