Home Sweet Home

 Eleven years ago, as an incredibly intimidated freshman, I moved to Gainesville. What I imagined would be a pit stop of 4 years has morphed into an experience beyond my wildest dreams. Here, in this ever-growing town, my friends became family, a part-time job became a career, and I lost and found myself countless times over. Here, clad in my orange and blue, I grew up. On Friday, I made the biggest/scariest/most exciting purchase of life. I closed on my first home. What started out as a whim became a quest to find the perfect space for Oliver and me. I did find it—tucked away just 15 miles north of the apartment I have called home for the last 7 years in the town of Alachua. I have been impatiently waiting for the last 45 days to pass so I could finally hold the keys in my hands (and of course reveal the semi-secret to all of my beloved friends/readers).

This house marks a new chapter for myself. It is step one of a journey I need to make and I need to make NOW. I have been incredibly lost over the past year and I needed something to shake up my soul. MY house is a clean slate, a fresh start, and an opportunity to stand on my own two feet. I finally have something that is mine and it’s a huge responsibility. Not only is it a very large monetary impact on my life but it feels like a huge step to being a grown up.

The thing that no one tells you as you’re growing up is that you really have control to design the life you imagine but not everything will turn out the way you plan. Yes, I always saw myself buying a home but I never dreamed it would be on my own. Society and romantic comedies have taught me that you get married, buy a house, have a few kids, drive a soccer-mom car and live happily ever after. I never pictured mowing my own lawn, being in charge of killing the spiders, and owning a caulk gun (thanks, Pappadopolous!). Instead of focusing on all the things I don’t have that I thought I would by this age I would like to focus on what I do have. I own a home, y’all! This is insane, overwhelming, incredibly scary, and extra happy!