Yesterday, for the first time since I’ve gotten to college, I felt almost at home. The funniest part is that it took me leaving campus to feel at home.

I went to church at a church up the road, instead of attending Mass on campus. I walked into the church and immediately felt comfortable. I was surrounded by families - parents and grandparents and little kids. It was wonderful.

I didn’t realize how much I missed seeing families together until then. It got me thinking about all the silly little things I miss about being at home. I miss my mom’s mac n’ cheese. I miss watching Meet the Press with my dad on Sunday mornings. I miss running into my favorite swim team moms at the grocery store. I miss my bookshelf, covered in my favorite books and snow globe collections. I miss snow flurries in October (really!). I miss movies at the Bowtie and musicals at Proctors. I miss the crazy construction outside the high school.

In short, I miss everything that makes Niskayuna home. Homesickness, I’ve discovered, comes in waves. Some days, things are happy with rainbows and sunshine; other days not so much.

So I tackle it the only way I know how, one day at a time. I’m working to stay busy and to make a new kind of family.

But I think I’ll keep going to church in town.