In which I remember HOME,

I will be the first to admit that I did not want to come home this summer. In an ideal world my school would let all of its students stay on campus. They would give us meaningless trivial jobs and pay us to do them. Then all day long we would lay out on the quad, play Frisbee and watch movies.

In all honesty, that would be lovely. It would be amazing to spend my summers that way, enjoying the Houghton I see so little of at school. That's what I thought I wanted more than anything else two weeks ago. I took great pains to fight this summer as hard as I possibly could.

But sometime between then and now my mindset has changed. School and home for me are two different worlds which don't overlap much at all. So I was afraid to leave the comfort I had built up. But I am glad I did.

Because there is something about my life in Staten Island that I love.

I forget that every time I go back to school. I forget exactly how good a slice of pizza tastes here. I forget that I love driving on Forest Hill road at midnight with my music far too loud. I forget that I love having friends who have seen my bad times, and disregard it. I love that my friends and I have to travel to see each other, it makes it more genuine. I love that we have an entire city at our disposal and we haunt the same half a dozen places. I love that my cousin had about four free iced coffees today. I love that I could be at the beach tomorrow, or in a museum, or in Sarah's house, and I won't know until I wake up.

I love spontaneity and that is something that is vibrant and thriving here.

I love that my friendships are not predictable and that I have truly no idea what to expect from this summer.

Its true that had my fantasy worked out, and I could have remained at school, I would be having a fantastic time. Because my life there is beautiful.

However, my life here is far less comfortable and far more exciting. I have felt the urge to stretch my legs for awhile now, and I am glad the time has come.