It’s the place where I’ve met the most people and the place where I’ve said the most goodbyes. It’s the meeting grounds for a night out with friends. It’s the place where I have cried my eyes out and had too many laughs to count, but I also can’t think of a place where I have felt more joy and relief. There was no better place than the Marietta Square.

Just 22 miles north of Atlanta, it was here where I was approached by a homeless man after dark. It's here that I run away to when I'm not feeling the best. All of the stress and emotions go away as soon as I dim the lights of my car and feel the silence of the town. It’s here that I will meet a friend for coffee whether it’s a study break or time for girl talk. The Marietta Square is more than just a landmark or a place to visit. It’s a part of my childhood. It's part of my home.

Loving the square is waking up early for the farmer’s market on Saturday to support the local farmers. You can always tell who’s a tourist and who is from Marietta by which coffee shop they choose to go to. You can go to Starbucks right off of Polk Street and pay $5 dollars for a cup of coffee, or you can turn the corner and right behind dance studio you can walk into Cool Beans where they make their coffee fresh and for a great price. You can tell who’s “old Marietta” and who’s “new Marietta” by where they sit for the concerts in Glover Park.

Although Marietta isn't the smallest town and stays busy, it's a place where everyone knows everyone. People love the fountain that little kids will jump in during the summer--the fountain where every couple wishes for a happily ever after with a coin and the fountain that is known for making an appearance in every high school homecoming picture. The Marietta Square is a place that is near and dear to everyone’s heart, whether you’re a high school student, drummer for a local band, or an elderly man born and raised in Marietta.

I have witnessed change throughout the years here, not only from myself, but the town too. I have witnessed the theater that was rebuilt and is now the talk of the town, the antique stores that no one used to shop in that turned into cute boutiques, and Eddie’s trick shop where every little girl purchased their first tutu, whether they decided to continue ballet or quit after the first week like me. I remember scraping my knees countless times running on the brick sidewalk of the square.I was a young girl in khaki shorts and a plaid top who may have been the clumsiest, but happiest child of all.

My mom tried to pull my sweaty bangs back with a bow, but was never able to catch me. It is the same brick where I read my favorite book last summer. The book "Crazy Love" taught me to always be myself and to stand up for what I believe in because you are always loved. After this year's New Year Celebration I know that there are only good things to come for the square, even improvements, and new trends.

Now, as I return from my first semester of college, learning and experiencing more than I ever have, I can finally take the Marietta Square in for what it really is: my home away from home, my comfort zone, and my happy place. I have missed the restaurants on the Square. The first thing that I wanted to do when I got home for Christmas was see the lights on the square and the families celebrating together. I love coming home to the Square and I am endlessly thankful for what it gives me.