During your first year of college, there are going to be these weird times when you’re out with some new friends, and you say, “Let’s go home guys,” referring to your dorm. In that moment, you might feel a little awkward, because you probably still think of the “home” as being the place that you grew up. Home is where your family lives. Where your mom cooks your favorite meals and does your laundry, where your high school friends still come over to hang out when you’re home. So, it’s understandable that you might be confused about what actually qualifies as home during your first year of college.
The main thing to remember, though, is that you now have two homes; however, they represent two very different kinds of things. Your old home, the home that you will return to at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and maybe even during the summer, will probably always be a place of comfort for you. When you’re there, it’s usually for a good reason. No school work. No getting up early for an 8:00 am class. But after a few days at your home, you begin to have some different feelings. “I miss my college buddies.” Or, maybe something like, “I’d really like to go grab some pizza from the dining hall.” At this point, it’s important to not feel as if you are betraying your old home for your new home on campus. It’s completely natural, and really quite healthy, to begin to feel like you’re now defined by something more, and that’s really what’s happening at these moments. You’re beginning to expand as a human being. Your emotions, preferences, and attitudes are all beginning to evolve. Essentially, you’re becoming the future you. Don’t fret about it- embrace your new home, but don’t be afraid to go back to your old one. It’s a good way to remember who you were when you started this new journey.