Incoming college freshman are sometimes heard saying the following: “I cannot wait to leave this town” “Move-in day will be the best day of my life” “Getting away from my parents is going to be so great” “I cannot wait to be myself”.

These statements are usually said by students that have never been away from home for an extended period of time. They build up this life of luxury, independence, freedom and even partying once they go away to college. What most kids overlook is that those aspects of college come in time. When you first go away, you will feel great. But as soon as the welcome days and exploring days of the first week conclude, you will be met with the stress, pressure and anxiety of all of the classes, clubs, tests, homework and even socializing that you were not fully prepared for.

You will be calling and texting your parents, crying as you explain why going off to college was a bad idea. You will message your friends that are still in high school and remind them to live up the rest of their time there, mainly because you did not do so. You will text your best friends and confide in them while your seemingly perfect college choice becomes your personal hell.

Then you will visit home. It will be the most relief that you have felt since you left it. You will meet up with your friends from your hometown, go eat at the places that you used to go to daily, your parents will smother you with their love while they have you under their roof again, you might even go visit where you used to work to say hello… But then you have to leave. The most heartbreaking thing about visiting home while in college is going back.

But this is why you should visit home whenever possible while away at college: So that you never forget who you are and where you came from. As they say, this too shall pass. At your university you will find your friends, you will slide into the coursework easily, you will get pretty decent grades on your tests, and you will surpass every expectation that you set for yourself. But you still need to return to your roots every once in awhile. They are what keep you grounded; they remind you that you would not be in your dream school without starting out there.

So go ahead. Take the next train back home. Call your parents and ask them to pick you up Friday afternoon. Carpool back home with your best friend that also attends your college. Everybody will be waiting for you with open arms and big hearts, reminding you that you will always have somewhere to fall back on when school gets a little rough.