Life Lesson Number Seven: Its Okay To Be Homesick

It felt like yesterday my eight best high school friends and I were sitting around our lunch table, complaining about how boring our hometown was. Talking about how we were "so over" high school, the work, and everyone in our grade. Fast forward to about eight months later, and every single one of us would do anything to be sitting at that table again. Surrounded by firmilar faces, Friday night football games under the lights, trips to our favorite diners, hikes over looking the Delaware river and our adventures to Princeton.

College has taught me so many things, among many, I am for sure a homebody. Also, its one hundred percent okay to feel homesick somedays. Don't get me wrong, I love college and I am beyond happy with my decision to attend Penn State. After all, our University offers absolutely everything from stellar academics, to a variety of clubs and organizations. Lastly, lets not forget to mention a pretty insane social seen. However, there are some days, when I miss my hometown, my friends, family, my dog, Jersey pizza, bagels, and of course my bed. The truth is I didn't realize how amazing Ringoes, New Jersey was until I had to leave.

I'll be the first to say that one of the factors that makes me miss home some days, is my big queen size bed. The thick mattress pad really adds to it, as well as all my nice fluffy pillows, cozy blankets and my dog snuggled up next to me. I will say though, I was worried that going from a queen to a twin at college would be a hard transition. However, a thick mattress pad can go along way on any size bed.

State College does have decent food. However, if you have ever met anyone from New Jersey, or New York they will definitely not let you leave the conversation you're having without explaining to you how good their bagels, pizza and subs are. Now, I understand everyone thinks their hometown food is the best but even though I sound like a stereotypical Jersey person, there is something in New Jersey's water that makes the bagels and pizza better than any other out there. Let me tell you about my favorite food in the entire world, Tortellini Pizza. In the part of New Jersey that I am from its a big thing to put Pasta on pizza. Some nights when I'm at State College I crave this pizza, its so cheesy, very filling and I probably should mention not the healthiest food in the world. Lets not forget our to die for taylor ham that we put on our fluffy bagels.

Im fortunate enough to have so many amazing friends from my hometown. Some that I went to school with since kindergarten while others, I met in high school. My high school had about 800 student in each grade, so about twenty of my classmates came to Penn State. Lucky for me, that included one of my very best friends Kiley. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we venture to the gym to not only avoid the freshmen fifteen but chat about hometown gossip as well as our new college gossip. Its crazy to think about how you go from seeing all your hometown friends for about four years straight. Then one day they are only there over texts. The distant hasn't come between my best friends and I. Our home town hero's group chat blows up my phone nearly every hour of the day, making me feel as if they are right there with me every step of the way.    

 So if there are days when you want to go home and sleep in your bed, thats normal. If there are days when you want to be back in your car, blasting music with your hometown friends, thats normal as well. If there are days when you are craving bagels and pizza from home, thats normal. If there are days when you wish you were back under the Friday night lights watching your number one ranked high school football team win a state championship, thats normal to. If there are days when you miss home and just want to go home, thats okay to, we all have those days. Remember though, State College is our new home!