What Being Home for a Year Has Taught Me

Written by St. Law U Contributor: Hannah Lobdell (’22)

When I was younger, I thought the first time I would leave home would be for my first semester of college. There would be teary goodbyes, a deep-rooted sense of homesickness, all the usual symptoms of leaving home. Instead, at the ripe age of sixteen, I left home and lived with a host family in another state. In addition to living in another home, I was playing hockey 6 out of the 7 days of the week and completing my high school education online, basically teaching myself through 3 AP courses. So I learned how to function by myself relatively quickly. I did that for three years, taking a gap year between my high school graduation and my freshman year of college, further continuing to spread my proverbial wings and learning how to take care of myself away from my parents. 

I continued that trend in college, as my parents were able to leave me behind with nary a tear in sight, and I acclimated to college life quickly. People would ask how I was able to adjust so well, and I would tell them that I had already lived away from home. Being at college was as easy as a duck taking to water. For a year and a half, college offered the freedom that I couldn’t always get at home: being up as late as I want, going out with friends, etc.  

But then the pandemic hit, and within a few days, all of my stuff had been packed up and I was sent home. A few weeks turned into a few months, then six months, then eight months. The longest period of time I had been at home in 3 years was 3 months. Reintegrating back into home life was…awkward to say the least. I had my own responsibilities, like finishing the semester and staying in touch with my friends. My mother, father, and brother had to adjust to me being home as well, as they were used to me being away from home for months at a time. I slowly got back into helping out with chores and other familial responsibilities that I took care of while being at home in the summer. If I go somewhere, I feel like I have to tell my family and if I am up late working, I have to be quiet. 

Yet, being at home has its pluses. I get to spend time with my family that I do not get while at college. I get to pick on my little brother and help him with homework. Mom and I laugh about cop shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Blue Bloods. My dad and I cook together and have conversations that turn into deep discussions about various topics. I can cuddle with my pets if I need a break from staring at a computer screen. This pandemic may have taken away things from us all, but it has given me back the time that I would not have. Some freedoms may have been changed, but there is a silver lining to the massive dark cloud.