As ‘Home’ is a very broad subject, I chose to try and prevent my final pictures from being random and all over the place. Going home for the weekend, I compared what I had back in Barnsley to in my university halls, from decoration to company, and took it from there. I then did a quick Google search for each topic I could relate to this theme.
Returning Home
For soldiers fighting in foreign countries, or even students studying abroad, the return of a family member after months of not seeing them in person is extremely emotional. Even just getting home after a busy day of school or work is emotional, relaxing and such a reward.
My Home
This topic is rather self explanatory. My home is the house I lived in before I moved to Lincoln, and has been the house I have lived in since the day I was born. Many people tend to move around a lot as their family grows, but my parents chose to build on their property, making it expand as our family did. Having grown up on this house, I have gained an attachment to it, and the old fashioned decoration and puppy teeth marks on our furniture do nothing but make me smile as I walk through the door. Seeing this house instantly tells me I’m home.
Family
As well as my literal home, family is a huge part of the reason I return home the odd weekend, and for week intervals away from my university campus. I live only 1.5 hours away from Lincoln, so returning home isn’t too difficult for me, however I tend to save trips to Barnsley for either when I have long periods of time off, or if it is a special occasion. I returned home for the weekend of my sisters 21st birthday, my cousins 21st birthday, and because there was a specific reason for me to return, I spent little time visiting my family further afield and more time focussed on my immediate family. And because I would only return for two days, I struggle to spend much time with my parents and sister due to their working schedules. On realising this I began to really miss time spent with them, and in the Christmas Holidays I found a whole new respect for sitting in front of the TV with my mum as she watches some random distasteful detective show, for my sister nipping in to say hello stinking of wet dog after a long shift at her dog parlour, and for my dad’s sarcastic remarks towards both of these situations.
Friends
I have friends at University who I love and respect so much, I even have friends from home who chose to go to the same University as me, however there are still friends from high school and college I miss dearly when I am away. The friends I miss luckily study locally to my home town, so when I get a chance to return home I attempt to arrange a chance to catch up, however as they have jobs in the same area, its hard to pick a date all of us are free. In the 4 week Christmas holiday period, I managed to meet up with two of my best friends only 3 times, which really made me realise how much I miss the days we used to see each other every day at high school.
Home Comforts
Many people have small things that keep them from being homesick. It can be a photo, a pair of slippers, or, like for me, a soft toy. These items can be used to decorate a space, or simply used when that person is missing home. With me to university, and to the discretion of others, I brought my birth teddy and two of my bibs I grew up with, all items used as a child to comfort me when I was sad, sick, or unable to sleep.
Pets
Friends and Family you can text or ring, home comforts you can take away to university with you, pets you can’t. One thing I miss the most about being away from home is being close to my dogs. I miss friends and family too, but they know where I am, they know when and they know if im coming back, things you can explain to a dog. I currently have two German Shepherds, Tim and Bess, one of which is extremely special to me. When we got Tim, he was only 8 weeks old, and I was in between my first and second year of college. I was at home most days, handy when trying to house train him, and an inevitable large bond was created between the two of us. As he grew older, so did I, and he helped me through many tough times, so to me he is more than just a dog, he’s family who isn’t just a phone call away. My other German Shepherd, Bess, has helped Tim come out of his shell, and she has also kept my family from boredom by wrecking the house, causing havoc on walks, and wrestling her brother constantly, no matter the time, place, or what he is doing. Out of everything that reminds me of home, a dog is a pinnacle part of being at home, as even when I am back up north, if they are out for a walk or in the dog parlour, the house is empty without them.