I move into my college dorm in 3 weeks and 1 day and the thought of that is such an unexplainable mix of happiness, nerves, anticipation, anxiety, excitement, and joy that I can’t even come close to explaining it. I keep things about things in terms of “22 days left sleeping in this bedroom” and “22 days left of my mom’s home cooking”. But it’s so much more than that. I don’t know how to come to terms that in 22 days I will no longer be coming home to the same 3 people I’ve been coming home to since I was a baby. Instead of seeking out my parents I will be putting my trust into my roommate and various other teammates along with classmates, professors, advisors, and coaches. I won’t be able to come home after a long day of classes where all I want is to curl up with my blankets and dog and talk things out with my mom. I won’t be able to ask my dad to go on a walk with me and talk about everything from love to favorite foods. I won’t be able to fight with my sister over the never-dying topic of “who’s shirt is this”. Things are changing faster than I imagined they would and while I’m completely ready for the new and exciting chapter of my life, I’m also not ready to let go. So here are 10 things I’m going to miss most about my home.

1. Mom’s cooking: obviously no dining hall can compare to my mother’s home cooking and this is going to be tough for me to adjust to not having
2. My Dogs: I have two dogs, Boomer and Gretchen, and I can’t imagine living without my fur babies. Especially Boomer since we have had him since I was in middle school.
3. Long talks with my parents: we share similar political, religious, and social views which makes discussing events much easier since we don’t tread on each other’s views often.
4. Impromptu dates with my little sister: “Hey Katie, Want to go shopping?” won’t be able to be said most of the year.
5. Knowing where everything is and where to buy more: Out of bread? Off to Krogers. Need soap? Under mom’s sink
6. Not having to keep everything together: Even when my parent’s gave me large portions of responsibility, I always knew they would take care of me when I inevitably messed up and forget the most important thing.
7. Not having to money manage: I always had to manage my money a little bit but I never had to pay for rent, food, bills, clothes, or my car. But college is basically a smack to the face and a “Welcome to adulthood” party where you have to pay to get in.
8. My best friend: She just so happened to miss a cutoff by a few days putting her into the grade below me and even though we don’t talk everyday or even once a week sometimes, it’s nice knowing I’m always welcome over and I have a shoulder to cry on if necessary.
9. Weekends: I love my friends, going out, and being away from home having a good time. But there is something to be said about kicking back around the pool on a Sunday with the 3 people who mean the most to me.
10. My safety net: Similar to number 6. My parents are amazing people who never gave up on me and forgave me when I did the wrong thing. They showed me unconditional love and that’s the best gift my parents could have given me. I know that in college I’ll make new friends and a mini family away from home, but nothing can compare to the 18 years of love and nurturing that made me who I am. If I can grow into half the person that my parents are then I will be successful in life.