When you grow up in schools, you’re always warned when writing academic essays not to use dictionary definitions. Well, this blog is all about going against what I was taught because stories and other pieces of writing, like art, is subjective. Believe it or not, every great art piece has at least one hater. This applies for writing too.
Nonetheless, I digress. Merriam-Webster describes the word home as like, a thousand different definitions. This whole strategy backfired really badly. Okay, let me give my hand and try to make my own definition for your pleasure. I would describe “home” as a place where you feel secure, comfortable, and have a sense of belonging. I used to think of my house as a home, and it very well may be, but it’s much less than that. It’s a physical thing that exists in a physical plane. My definition of home is much more mental, as I think of general areas as a home.
Now this is also a very broad definition, but to be frank, it’s hard to get much more descriptive than that. I’m going to contradict exactly what I just said too, but I will argue that some of the places I consider “home” are physical houses. But, for saving my fingers some life, I will begin.
New Hampshire
My birth state, my childhood state, and my semi-adult state (by force, as I don’t have money to move out). I was born in New Hampshire, in the capital Concord. Since then, we’ve had three different houses in New Hampshire, but only one of them truly stands out.
That would be my house just outside the capital, which I won’t state for privacy purposes. I lived there for just about eighteen years. It was the headquarters of all of my “evil” operations and it was the foundation for a lifetime of childhood memories. It’s where pets were adopted, pets passed away, school was started, school was ended, friendships flourished, and trampolines blew away in windstorms (Yes, the trampoline flew off one day from the back of the yard to the front, almost in the street).
For obvious reasons, it was what I would most likely consider the biggest “home” that I’ve ever had the pleasure of occupying. The other two houses have valid reasons for not making the list which would include not being old enough to remember and not living in the other house for long enough. Plus, I may be salty for moving out of my childhood home for a major downgrade.
Besides physical house locations, the entire state feels like home. I feel like a true New Hampshirite when I come back stateside. Not just the friends I built growing up, but the strangers even make me feel more at home. Strangers from New Hampshire are much better than strangers from anywhere else. That could definitely just be something that I’m used to growing up in this state, though.
I want to give one more shoutout to two non-house locations that make me feel at home in New Hampshire. One of these is Concord, where I spent a lot of time and made a lot of memories, especially near Main Street (there may have been some vegetables dropped from parking garages and police yelling at us for long boarding). The other would be the White Mountain/Franconia Notch region. When I’m hiking in the wilderness up one of the beautiful mountains New Hampshire has to offer, I feel extremely happy.
Florida
When I went on vacation to St. Pete Beach (as is tradition in my family) with my girlfriend for the first time together, I told her that Florida was my second ever “home”. This remains true. Growing up, for our annual vacation as a family, we would go to Lands End in Treasure Island. At some point, my parents wanted to invest in getting a condo and the rest was history.
When we got to Florida, I realized this was the first time I could take the car and drive on my own. Every other time we come to Florida, we fly and rent a car (the legal age to drive a rental is 25). As I was driving down St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island, I realized that I didn’t even need a GPS. I knew the entirety of the area like the back of my hand.
Despite not feeling as “at home” as I do in New Hampshire, I feel like I’m in my element in St. Pete Beach. I know the area like a local would and know all of the local food places and activities. Luckily, I got to share some of my knowledge with my lovely girlfriend.
Indiana
The most unlikely “home” on this list probably belongs to West Lafayette, Indiana. You can’t simply attend a university for three and a half years and not feel like you belong there. Especially with a university. Universities are literally built so that everybody, no matter gender, race, sex, etc. that you can succeed.
Despite living in Wiley Hall for a year and a half, I wouldn’t claim that my room felt like home. This was even with a lucky bonus of not having a roommate first year. However, I would state firmly that the “gathering room” (we didn’t have a name, but this seems appropriate) was a home. The “gathering home” said simply was where all of the boys gathered every night to watch sports, play video games, or just chill. It was my first friend group, and while it lasted (before most of them were straight-forward racist and homophobic) it was extremely comforting and fun. I lost my $20 on Gonzaga to win the national championship one year. I watched the Cardinals get eliminated in the wildcard game and then proceeded to walk to the top of a parking garage on a rainy day. I watched the Miami Heat beat the Celtics in the ECF.
My other home in Indiana was apartment 22 in my complex. I don’t have any crazy specific memories about the apartment itself, but it was the longest I’ve ever lived alone. I didn’t know it was possible to survive on my own, but the apartment was always there keeping me safe and comfortable. It was extremely comfortable to lay down in bed after a long day in class.
Dublin, Ireland
I wanted to give specifics only for this one, because I can’t say Dublin alone (there’s several “Dublin”s in the USA and Ireland was too general). I was in Dublin for the shortest amount of time, but I would say it’s one of my favorite places on Earth. This could be the association I have with good memories and good people, and maybe if I were to revisit the city now, the experience would be different.
I was extremely lucky to have met my favorite person while abroad, and spend every day with her. I also made a group of great friends I still try to keep in touch with to this day. The city itself is vibrant but gives off the old European feel that most continental cities give. Some roads are lined with bricks, some are lined with rainbow paint. I never felt at danger (well, I did get hassled by a handful of homeless walking home at night). I could drink extensively at bars and pubs within a mile from my apartment and end up home safely by myself. I don’t recommend this, but the opportunity was there.
Michigan
I want to include Michigan solely for the purpose that my girlfriend lives there, works there, and studied there. I drove from my school to her town probably thirty times within a year and a half. Keep in mind, it was a three hour drive each way. Yeah, I love her that much.
Due to the fact I’ve been there so many times, I’ve learned the surrounding area in my internal GPS. I can find my way back to her house after a day out on 8th street, or coming home from Jersey Mikes. Again, for privacy reasons, I won’t straight up say which town.
As well as her, I’m lucky to be involved with her family and family friends, inviting me out to eat and town meetings and such to get me involved. Eileen’s mom, dad, and older sister have all been extremely generous in welcoming me into their family like I’m their own. For that reason mainly, I would consider Michigan part of my heart.
Today’s cover image is from one of my homes, Dublin, with Donner and Eileen. Sorry, Donner.