As a college student, you are thrown into this situation that requires a lot of growing up. We as humans are meant to reach our full potential and college jumps starts that process.

College is a time where young adults tend to find the individuality that makes them significant in the world. You go through situations that require you to make adult decisions, decisions for yourself, by yourself. Leaving the comfort of home can be challenging but overcoming obstacles is what makes us who we are.

Once you have left the nest, coming back is inevitably different. It varies depending on personal situations, but there are just some things you learn about growing up when you move home from school for the summer.

Moving home for the summer is fun. Being back with family, home cooked meals and a full stocked fridge, what could be better? Then, once your mom reminds you that you now have to do your own laundry, that’s when reality starts to kick in.

Every year after high school, you are slowly moving away from being supported by your parents. And that’s the point of college, to prepare you for the “real world." The thing nobody tells you is, that it becomes difficult being reliant on someone else once you have lived on your own terms. It is hard to go home and abide by the rules of your parents because you are now back under their roof.

The first thing you learn when moving home for summer is how much you truly have grown. No matter how long you have lived away, you will always come home a more mature and self-efficient version of yourself.

Every time I come home I am reminded of things from the past, naturally. And each time a situation and topic gets brought up I think about how much I cared at the time and how much it really didn’t matter in the big scheme of things. You have a better sense of what is important to you, and what is not

The toughest part about moving home, is that all the circumstances have changed. Along with your growth, people around you are making changes in their lives as well and you're away from the time that was your adolescence.

Things happen at home while you are away at school including people’s relationships change. There will still be friends you know but not as many. People do not hang out with each other as much as responsibilities are prioritized and take most of your time.

Going home for summer from college is nice, for the first couple weeks. Then you start to miss school and all the freedom you had being completely on your own. Home will always be where family is, but like we all do, it changes as we grow.