Putting everything else aside, it’s honestly so difficult to believe that it’s been 3 months since I set out on the journey that has been my first semester of college. Sure, I’m doing just fine, but in so many ways, it simply feels as if it’s been an eternity since I started; Seriously, has it only been 3 months? I suppose that it’s fair to say that the fact that I hail from Long Island plays a large role in this feeling. To put it simply, if you are unaware, Long Island is 8 hours away from Fredonia, and that’s on a good day. In other words, the trip back and forth is not exactly a walk in the park. With this being the case, I, unlike many of my fellow Fredonians, have not set foot on home turf since I left in August.

As I began this article, let it be known that I was just beginning the bus trip sitting that was bringing me home to my family and loved ones for Thanksgiving break. Although I still had quite the journey ahead of me, it was then that I began to feel the anticipation and excitement. The time I had on the bus also allowed me to reflect on a lot of things that have changed and developed since I left for school.

As for some of the little things that I missed while I was away, my family got a dog, my brother got even taller than he was before I left, and my mom got a new job. Even though there’s a new animal running around our house, my brother can probably touch the ceiling now, and my mom gets her paycheck from a new place, those are probably the least of the differences that have been proven since I arrived at home. In fact, most of what is different lies within me, and stems from the growing that I have done as a person throughout my first experience of being away from home and essentially living on my own. If there’s one thing that has been made infinitely clear even in the short amount of time that I have been home so far, it’s that my parents truly acknowledge and respect the fact that I have had the time to establish an independent lifestyle, and therefore, the dynamic between us is now a bit different. Although I was never tied down or held back by them in high school, it is now even more clear to see that they are treating me as more of an adult now.

Other than a few things that college has changed about my independence and maturity, visiting home has brought me a feeling of contentment and normality that I honestly have not felt since I’ve been away. Rather than it being a very exciting or new type of experience, it feels more like I never left in the first place. Although I have a whole week of visiting friends and family and a Thanksgiving celebration to look forward to, the first few days of being here have been more than enough to prove that, at least for me, home truly is where the heart is.