Confessions of a girl who goes home all the time

“You are going home again?”

“We should plan something on a weekend you don’t go home.”

“Do you hate being here?”

If I had a dime for every time something along these lines was said to me, I could pay for the restoration of the Rotunda by myself and put a rush order on it.

I have no shame though.

I love to go home. In fact, I do it about every two weeks.

Coffee from my favorite place back home

When I was in high school, I couldn’t wait to get out of the small town of Front Royal, Virginia. I loved my high school, but I wanted to see bigger and better things. I wanted to experience so many things I couldn’t do in a small town in the Shenandoah Valley.

I applied to multiple schools outside of Virginia: University of Kentucky and NC State being the top two contenders.

My mom said I should consider staying closer to home. I may have rolled my eyes when she said it and I may have made a vow to myself to prove her wrong, but she was right. Don’t tell her I said that.

Every other Friday morning I pack my duffle bag, sometimes my laundry, and head down the beautiful winding roads towards home.

When I pull into the driveway, a sense of calm comes over me.

I walk through he door and I am greeted with little licks up and down my legs from our two puppies.

A hug from my mom that is so enthusiastic and warm that you would have thought that I was gone for years.

I’m home.

I have no stress. Even if I do, I can’t feel it. My heart is filled with happiness.

I get to see my friends. Workout at my home CrossFit box. And eat some good home cookin’. I get to experience the things I took for granted for so many years.

Don’t get me wrong, I am proud to be a Wahoo, I think Charlottesville is gorgeous, and I have some amazing friends – but sometimes home is just the escape I need. Without it, I just might explode.

I’m a ‘homegirl’ and I am completely fine with that. I love my home and I love my school. So who says you can’t have both? I have managed to do just that for almost two academic years and it isn’t likely to change anytime soon.