The coined phrase, "I live in a place everyone claims to hate but then never leaves," has never been so accurate to describe the small Bible-belt town I was born and raised in.

Being the type of person who loves adventure but also craves comfort has always been really hard for me. Growing up in a small community, everyone was raised to know each other and was encouraged to commit to the idea that everything you ever needed was right in front of you. I always wanted to see what else the world had to offer me, especially after many boring nights of complaining there was nothing left to do in a city that I knew everything about. A good majority of what you became was strongly centered around your last name, and it was even harder to come out of a bad reputation a sibling or a loved one set before you. I despised cliques. I wanted something bigger for myself, and when high school finally came to an end, all my loved ones rejoiced with me about the fact we would never have to be tied down to this town or any of its expectations until we came home to visit during breaks. I was ready for the drama to end and a new start to begin.

But as college gets closer and looms over me, and I pack for school and say goodbye to the closest people I have, I begin to realize why this place is really impossible to leave after all... And in a good way. My hometown has shaped my morals and values. It is where I met my best friend, had my first kiss, and the place all my memories reside. It holds all my childhood secrets in the four walls of my bedroom. Every building, every restaurant, every street corner is a symbol of a stage in my life. The Friday night football, the local Wal-Mart, even the stupid sports mascot ... it holds some significance in my heart. Growing older and stepping into the real world, moving away from my comfort zone ... it will slowly begin to change all those mindless habits. And in most cases, I will never have that type of history anywhere else. I take pride in knowing that my stomping grounds consist of a place in which I have seen some of the nicest acts of kindness exist. My hometown grew me from the ground up, and without realizing it, I almost let this city go without a proper "thank you". Without this city, I don't think I ever would have been able to know that the simple life is so overlooked.

Although I know I might not be the most excited when I come home from college and get to come back to all the craziness of home life, I will sure be glad to be able to enjoy a home cooked meal again, to be able to sleep in my own bed, and know my way around without getting lost. Let's face it, no one really likes being at home until they leave, but hey, once you do, you'll find that all you want sometimes is just to experience the things you wished away one last time.