Family

Hi,

This weekend Scott and I went to my house for a relaxing weekend away from campus. I hadn't been home since Christmas, so I was excited to see my parents and hang out at home for a few days. We went home on Friday and just went out to dinner and hung around all night. Saturday we went shopping for a little bit, then played a game and watched a movie with my parents and Sunday was just church and relaxation. As you can tell, we really didn't do much, which was perfect.

For me, one of the hardest things about coming to college was leaving my parents. I am the youngest, so my brother and sister had already moved out and are married and although I see them fairly often, I knew that not seeing them wouldn't be too hard because I don't seem them everyday anyways, but I am really close to my parents and not seeing them everyday was going to be tough. Luckily I only live about an hour and half away, so it's an easy drive if I just want to go home on the weekend. I wasnt' really sure what to expect when I came here as far as homesickness goes. There are times when it is hard and I really miss my family, but it's amazing how the people at Bluffton pull together and form a family. Just like I miss my family at home, when I'm there I miss my Bluffton family. There are people from so far away here that only get to see their families on breaks (f that! some international students go years without going home), but I know that they can still feel that sense of family here and that seems to be what makes it bearable from them to be away from home for so long. Homesickness comes and goes, but my advice would be to not be too afraid of that when you go to school... you'll find family there too! The weekends are some of the most amazing times, and I love being here with my Bluffton family to enjoy those times too.
Here's to family, no matter where it is,

Mary

pic: me and my parents