After almost two months here on the Hill, I have come to love this campus: the classes I have taken, the friends I have made, and especially the lattes I have devoured at Wiggin Street Coffee. However, in the past couple of weeks, I have found myself missing things that I had not anticipated I would miss. With Skype, Facetime, texting, calling, emailing, and more, it’s relatively easy to stay in touch with my friends and family, but there are many aspects of my daily life in California that I have found myself wishing I could have here at Kenyon. Below is a list of everything I miss—I hope it gives you a little taste of home.
1. Having my own room
I have absolutely loved getting to know my roommate, and sharing a room with someone else is an opportunity that I am grateful to have. Nevertheless, I never really understood what it would be like to not have my own bedroom until I started splitting my personal space with another person. Even when I am in the room by myself, living in a building with a hundred other people and paper-thin walls makes it difficult to nap or belt show tunes at the top of my lungs—two activities for which my bedroom at home was often used.
2. Being able to take shoe-less showers
As much as I love my adorable, polka-dot shower shoes, there is something about being able to walk across the bathroom floor barefoot. Also, I really miss singing in the shower. As much as I am sure my fellow McBride residents would enjoy my shower repertoire of contemporary Broadway and Sara Bareilles, there is something about being able to hold a concert in my own bathroom with the door shut that I just have not had the opportunity to do here.
3. Staying in my pajamas all day
I am fully aware that I have the option to go to class in my pajamas, and believe me, I will take full advantage of it. But I miss being able to wake up, sleepily stumble downstairs, fall on the couch, turn on Netflix, and just have a jammy day. I love being able to see my friends every day and go on adventures or just eat meals with them at Peirce, but I cannot wait until I can just be in my natural state of disheveled laziness once again.
4. Eating authentic Mexican food
I love it every time Peirce serves enchiladas or tacos, and Mt. Vernon’s Fiesta Mexicana pretty decent Mexican food for being in the middle of Ohio. But growing up less than 120 miles from the Mexican border, I can’t help but constantly crave the real thing. Often, my friends have heard me lament over how much I miss avocados and especially guacamole, and I never anticipated that I would before leaving for Kenyon.
5. Having pets
Last, but certainly not least, I really, really miss my cats. Of course I knew I would miss them as I feel as though they are members of my family, but I did not realize how often I would wish I could have a warm fluff-ball to hug or snuggle against me when it is cold (which for me, having lived in Southern California my whole life, is anything under 70º F). Although I see my kitties every weekend when I Skype my family, I thought they would be able to see me or at least recognize my voice, but it turns out, cats are clueless when it comes to technology.
Despite all of the things I miss about California, I would not trade these past two months at Kenyon for anything. No, I did not think I would miss shower singing or carne asada burritos when I decided to move across the country to Ohio, but I do not in the least bit regret my decision to move to Gambier. I have fallen head over heels in love with Kenyon, and being a student here is much, much better than having a lazy pajama day.
Image credits: history.com, theodysseyonline.com, lipstickalley, and Jenny Nagel.