When I first went to college, I thought that I would never go home. I finally had the freedom to be independent and do as I please without the authority of my parents. However, to my surprise, that quickly changed.
At the beginning of my first semester of college I was extremely homesick. I missed my family, my own bathroom, and my dog. In these moments, all I wanted to do was go home, but I felt uncomfortable doing so. It was at the point of the semester where everyone seemed to be making friends, so I tried to stick it out. As much as I wanted to stay at school during the weekends, I finally gave in and decided to go home.
During my first semester, I went home every other weekend and I do not regret it at all. I really needed that time to recover from the stress of college in my own house and around my family. During this time, I was able to reflect on who I was and what I wanted from my college experience. It also helped me keep up with my assignments and manage my time better. At home, I was able to catch up on the extra workload that came with college, which allowed me to find ways to manage my time better.
Even though going home a lot my first semester was the best decision for me, I did have doubts that I would be setting myself up for disaster in the long run. I was scared that I wouldn’t develop friendships since I was constantly going home. Also, I was experiencing extreme amounts of FOMO, while being at home in bed by 9:30 at night. However, it turned out that I had nothing to worry about because like everything, getting used to college took time.
Eventually, through classes and various different clubs, I was able to meet amazing friends that made me never want to leave college. I slowly got used to being away from home and my homesickness finally wore off. As I reflect back, going home was possibly the best decision I could have made for myself. Your college experience is not defined by weekends spent at home. It is formed through a course of 4 years. It is so important to stay true to yourself and if you need time away from the college atmosphere then take the time to go home; it is completely okay. Besides, everyone needs a home-cooked meal and bubble bath every once in a while.
Although being home is comforting, it is still important to spend most of your time on campus. Freshman year is tough, and we are adjusting to a completely different lifestyle. Do whatever you think is right for you. If taking a small break from your college campus is what you need, then take that time off at home. Besides, sometimes when we’re away from school we remember how much we miss being there.