As the semester winds down and break gets closer, I can’t help but think about home. Lately, it’s all that’s been on my mind. Sleeping in my own bed, being surrounded by family, eating actual home-cooked meals, and just having a week to breathe. After weeks of nonstop classes, group projects, and late-night study sessions, the idea of being home feels like the perfect reward.
Still, even though I’m so ready to leave, I have to remind myself that there’s work left to do. Exams, papers, and projects aren’t going to finish themselves, no matter how much I wish they would. It’s tough staying motivated when all I want to do is mentally check out and start packing. But reminding myself that I’ll be home soon helps me push through. I keep telling myself that if I stay focused now, I’ll actually get to enjoy break without stressing about what’s waiting for me afterward.
I think what I miss most about home is the little things: sitting on the couch with my little brother watching Harry Potter, driving to my hometown Starbucks with my sisters after church, grabbing Bruegger’s Bagels with high school friends like no time has passed. There’s something so comforting about the familiar. The streets I grew up on, the smell of my house, and even my old room still feel exactly the same.
It’s funny how leaving for college changes the way you see home. When I lived there every day, I never thought twice about it. I used to take it for granted. The slow pace, the same routines, the predictability of it all. But now, after months away, I realize how much those simple things mean. There’s a kind of peace in being somewhere that doesn’t expect anything from you. Home feels softer now, more precious somehow. It’s not just a place; it’s the idea, the memory where I can feel the comfort of being completely myself without thinking twice.
College life is exciting, but it’s also exhausting. There’s always something happening: assignments, meetings, social plans, and just trying to keep organized. Sometimes it feels like there’s no real pause. That’s why breaks matter so much; because they give you a chance to slow down and reset. Going home reminds me of who I am outside of school, outside of grades and schedules. It’s a reset button I didn’t know I needed until I’m back there.
When I finally do arrive home, I want to make the most of it. I want to catch up with my friends, spend time with my family, and actually rest without feeling guilty about it. But I also know that finals will come up fast when I get back to school, so I’m hoping to use the break as a time to clear my head and get ready to finish the semester strong.
For now, I’m just trying to stay focused and finish what’s in front of me. It helps to think that every assignment I turn in and every exam I finish gets me one step closer to home. I can almost picture it: the familiar faces, the quiet mornings, the feeling of finally being still for a while.
Home sweet home. It really can’t come soon enough.