Though college students may have many different perspectives and definitions defining what the word "home" means to them. I think most can agree that it signifies a place of comfort away from our dorm where we're surrounded by family, friends, food and familiarity. While going home is a personal experience, the discussion surrounding how often one goes home/sees their family is a common discourse amongst college friends, therefore provoking the question- how often is too often?
For anyone getting newly acclimated to college life, you're probably familiar with the famously coined term "FOMO", aka fear of missing out. This is used to describe the (sometimes) overwhelming atmosphere of starting college, where new opportunities, people, and surroundings seem to consume your thought process. While this acronym is relatively accurate to capture the essence of how exciting college can be, many use it as an excuse.
When a college student parties too hard, takes on too many extracurriculars, schedules too many meet-ups, and makes too many promises, they can often be heard exclaiming, "I just didn't want to miss out on anything!" This same reason can be used against the case for going home, as many believe time spent away from campus means time spent away from the best time of your life. However, making the most of college doesn't mean avoiding your home and glueing yourself to campus, and heres why.
Believe it or not, going home can actually make college feel like home. Sure, whenever one has a break from school, having a bed bigger than a Twin XL to yourself, access to non-dining hall/delivery food, being surrounded by friends and family, and living in a familiar, homey environment can feel like bliss. However, whether you want to admit it or not, you start to realize that your roots feel like home, but your time spent in college has made your 14' x 16' room feel like the equivalent of a warm apple pie on a cold winter's day. The grass truly is always greener on the other side, so wherever you're at, you'll find yourself with an immense newfound appreciation for the other.
Personally, I have found a way to incorporate going home into my college routine, allowing myself to be able to have the best of both worlds and fully utilize my current situation as a freshman in college with a small, close-knit family and two adorable dogs who miss me terribly. Regardless of one's personal definition of leaving campus "too much", balancing home life with college life is a unique situation that varies from student to student. Whether you're the student that has to be dragged home on mandatory school breaks or "that kid" that goes home way too much, there's no denying that, with the right accommodations, attitude, and people, anywhere can feel like home and there's no need to fear the possibility of missing out.
