In literature, film or any form of media, we are taught that setting is essential to context, mood and the overall message. This concept can be broadly applied to our lives if we consider how locations and where we live shapes our identities. Everyone has a different upbringing, and some people move around more than others; however, I think everyone has a distinct setting that they would consider to be their hometown. When we live in a place and truly experience the culture, politics and lifestyles of the location rather than just being visitors or tourists, we tend to see the bad and think there are better places to live. Now, there are better places to live than others, yet for most people, hometowns are stigmatized and made out to be worse than they are. I have never met more people from different places and backgrounds since living in residence, and most of them wanted to get out of their hometowns. I am one of those people.
Initially, I thought leaving my hometown would be such a huge change: something completely new would be wondrous and enjoyable to discover. Still, often I miss the simplicity that comes with familiarity. Since moving away, I have learned more about myself and gained perspective on my hometown.
One of the biggest realizations I had was that every place you live will have its own set of issues and downfalls, but one thing that will remain constant is the people you surround yourself with. One of the benefits of living in my hometown is having wonderful people and family so close to me, along with the familiar places I grew up knowing. This could be nostalgia, but sometimes I miss driving and knowing where everything is.
Overall, I just want to communicate to university students that there is no shame in moving back home and that where you came from is not a place you should consider bad. Instead, I am conveying that your hometown shaped you into who you are today and taught you more about yourself growing up than you would think. It is undeniably true that setting is essential for mood and context; there is no other place that will make you feel nostalgia and familiarity like your hometown. It will always be the first place you became truly acquainted with.