Living away from home for the first time is exciting. And also hard. It’s different. It’s new! I would be lying if I said that living away from my parents and the town I grew up in was easy. I love Davidson. I love the freedom I have here, the friends I’ve made, the new opportunities I have, and the ability to make my own decisions (good or bad). However, even with all the love I have for this campus and community, there are things I miss about living at home.
In writing this article, I polled my fellow freshman friends (from Davidson and from schools across the country) to ask about what they miss most about being away from home. So, I give you the top 8 responses.
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Your pets
The pictures of my dog, Mozzie, on my wall just cannot fulfill my daily desire to cuddle that little fluff-ball. I confess, sometimes I miss him more than I miss my family.
2. Home-cooked meals
I am not the first to say that the dining hall can get boring. Eating practically the same thing every day is tiresome. Living away from home means living away from your favorite home-cooked meals.
3. Your favorite local fast food chain
Now if you’re a North Carolinian, or a Southerner for that matter, this isn’t a problem for you–there’s Chick-fil-A, Cook Out, and Bojangles’ all within a 10-minute drive. But for me, a Massachusetts girl through and through, I miss my dunks. It doesn’t feel the same driving around and not seeing those magenta and orange letters everywhere you turn. Dunkin’ Donuts is a Massachusetts-based religion that just isn’t practiced here in North Carolina.
4. Your favorite grocery store
Now maybe I’m the only one, but I miss knowing my favorite grocery store like the back of my hand. I’ve heard Harris Teeter is great, but can it really compare to my good ol’ Market Basket? Grocery stores are so niche and regional that it is hard to leave your favorite one behind.
5. Driving
If you have a car on campus, you may not relate to this one, but bear with me. Even having a car on campus, I miss my daily drives. At home, I drove about 40 miles every day to my various activities–that was 40 miles of alone time spent jamming out to my favorite songs that I just don’t have here when everything is a 5-minute walk on campus.
6. Your favorite local restaurant
For me it’s a restaurant called Little Pusan–a tiny Korean restaurant 20 minutes from my house where the owner knows me by name and my order by heart. Everyone has their favorite spot to eat that is unique to their hometown and just cannot be duplicated here in Davidson.
7. Your friends
Making new friends is great! Meeting new people is exciting! Living away from the people you grew up with is hard. Sure, we can text and Snapchat and FaceTime all we want, but sometimes you just miss hanging out with the friends who shaped you and grew up with you.
8. Your family
It’s a given–everyone misses their family (and you’re lying if you say you don’t). Family is family, and not getting to see them every day is hard sometimes. Always remember, though, that they have your back and are always ready to support you. So, take some advice from someone who doesn’t do this–call your family every once in a while. They’ll appreciate it because they miss you too!
If you are interested in writing an article for Her Campus Davidson, contact us at davidson@hercampus.com or come to our weekly meeting Tuesday at 8pm in the Morcott Room.