We've all established a connection with our hometown. It doesn't necessarily mean that it's where you were born, but a hometown is where you felt most at home while growing up. Your hometown is your community, your family, your bubble of comfortability. Now what about your hometown is it that keeps you wanting to come back?

We've all gone through a time or are going through a time where we went away for school, for deployment, for other adventures. There's so much out there in the world that could open our eyes to bigger and better things, but there's just something about that little town in the middle of the mitten that catches my attention.

Friends.

Having the same friends after high school is very rare, I don't even have the same friends I had in high school but they still went to my school. It wasn't until after graduating that I missed the opportunity of having better friends in high school. But we developed our friendships and we grew into a small family where every time we saw each other, all of our troubles went away. For me my hometown friends are my stress relievers. For a minute they take me away from the atmosphere at college and allow me to forget about the stress that I might be undergoing. They are my people away from my people at school.

Family.

A huge one. Hands down the most important of them all. My family consists of the people who made me who I am today, they push me to do my best, they love me at my worst. We are a very close family that offers support to one another when someone needs it, we celebrate holidays together, we celebrate successes with one another. It's an amazing thing to see when you're around them! Everyone laughing together with love in each and every one of their eyes. It's heartwarming, and that's the draw that would take me back in a heartbeat.

Memories.

I grew up in a small town, I lived right next to the middle school, and the elementary school, and I was a ten minute walk away from the ice cream shop and the park. It was easy for me to have a summer spent outside because I had a pool, I had my sisters and brother to play with. My mom was my babysitter for the first 5 or 6 years of my life and I was lucky enough to grow and have her there to help me along the way. I grew up playing sports and establishing a high school career in them. I made friends through them, I made memories. I have memories falling off of my bike and I can recall those memories just by looking at the scars on my knees. I have memories with my 3 other siblings that I love and cherish and hold deeply to my heart because those memories are the reasons why we are so closely connected now. I have memories of getting my dog, Jax, who is amazing. It's the memories that hold the ties to my small town, because without the memories, I wouldn't be who I am now.

Friends are the people who influences, encourages, me to come home for casual get togethers. My family are the people that bring me home periodically because without them I wouldn't be living my dream, and without them, I get homesick. The memories are the deep connection I have. With friends, with family, with growing up. My hometown is what made me who I am. My hometown is humble, my hometown is close knit, my hometown supports each other in every aspect. My hometown is me.