I never knew I’d miss home after going away for college.
- I felt stifled in Libertyville, so I chose a college that was many miles away.
My aunt always laughed and said one day I’d miss home. Back then, I dismissed her words, but later they came true. After college, I settled at the coast, where I landed a great job. I only went home once in a while since I had a vibrant social scene back in the city. However, when the pandemic hit, things changed for all of us. There were no more open social places to visit, and I had to spend so much time alone in my apartment. Mom and dad would call to check in on me, and one day I just broke down. I admitted that I missed home, and mom begged me to travel as soon as I could. I took all precautions during the trip to ensure I was safe, but all I wanted to see were my parents. I got to Libertyville in the height of summer, but there weren’t many people moving about. It felt so hot while heading home, and I was happy my parents had an excellent cooling system in their home. We were embarrassed, and I cried so much because I’d been so scared back in the city living on my own. I felt so isolated, and I knew it was a feeling many other people were feeling across the world. My parents reassured me and helped ease my anxiety. I was also quite relieved when my older sister also decided to come home with her son to stay for some time.