I know I lived with my family for the first 18 years of my life, but being home after being away at college for a few months feels so different. So much has changed. Sometimes this change It makes coming home feel like a reward from all the work and annoying things I have to put up with at school, but at the same time, sometimes it is makes me feel the opposite.
The good
Sitting here in my dorm, writing about going back home makes me think about how I miss my friends and family. Sure, college life is fun… There are parties and bars to go to every night, but nothing can beat quality time with those you love. While spending time at home during Thanksgiving break, I got to see my best friends. In the time we spent together, we did a whole lot of nothing. The craziest things I did with them were get, yet another, piercing and watch the new Hunger Games movie, but these events were the highlights of my recent schedule.
Seeing my family after not spending time with them for such a long time felt so nice as well. Similar to the time spent with my friends, we didn’t do any crazy outings either. We had family dinners, sat, talked and played with the dog. My mom and I even took our weekly shopping trip. Thanksgiving break made me realize how much I missed the normality of being home.
With winter break approaching, I am so excited to spend time with the people I love and continue these experiences, but sometimes amid all the happiness, I realize that so much has changed.
The bad
When I say that a lot in my world has changed since I left for college, I mean a lot has changed. I have five younger siblings and never realized how quickly they grew up until I wasn’t there to experience it. My little brother has his own music taste after years of creating playlists filled only with music I showed him. My little sister is taller than me, and the youngest of them all is only one inch away. It is such a strange experience coming back to the group of people you are closest to, and all of them are just slightly different.
For me, coming back home also means not having my own space. I suppose it is better than the dorm life, as there is a huge lack of privacy here, but prior to leaving for college I had my own room at home. But now, after being away for a few months, my room has been given away, along with the primary usage of (what I like to still think of as) my car.
It is all just a weird and overwhelming experience.
Coming home for such a long period does scare me a bit, but every time that thought pops into my mind, I stop and think about the people I love who are there waiting for me. Once I remember this, all I can think about is how excited I am to go back and spend the holidays at home (regardless of the bad).