The Real World
Searching for home, sweet home
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Perspectives
Editor's Note: For the semester, The Mirror will chronicle Brianne Menges' life as she moves from college life into the real world. Lovinger graduated from Drury in May 2009 with a degree in Politics & Government. She is currently living in the Chicago area.
I always felt "at home" at Drury. Whether it was the community we had or the fact that Springfield wasn't too different from where I grew up, I was at home in every apartment and dorm room that I lived in. I never questioned why these places felt like home. I suppose in some ways I considered the roof over my head and a furnished bedroom enough. I have quickly learned that furniture does not make a home.
For the first five weeks that I lived in Chicago, I was staying with other people and I assumed that when I moved into my own apartment, I would feel at home.
I had been working for two months, living in my own apartment for several weeks, and was surprised to find that I still felt like I was on the longest vacation ever.
At this point, I realized that I needed to find a way to make Chicago, Hyde Park and my apartment feel like home. I began to look back at what made every other place I have lived feel like home.
The obvious answer was friends and family. However, I have several friends, including one that I live with. I go out with them most weekends, but that wasn't fixing the problem. The next answer was that in other homes I was settled, not living out of boxes. But for financial reasons, these boxes will continue to serve as closets, tables and bookshelves for a while.
What I needed was to physically make this place comfortable. So I started to look for other ways to feel "at home." And I found them. So in case you ever find yourself looking for ways to make a new home, here is what worked for me:
1. Join a gym - I can't explain it, but living healthy makes me feel like this is home, or maybe it simply improves my views. Either way, it helps.
2. Add flowers - my nearly bare room feels more alive with a fresh boquet always in a vase.
3. A few candles help since a place that smells good is that much more homey.
4. Make your bed - it was something that I often did, but I have found that coming home at the end of the day and seeing my bed looking like it could be in a magazine just makes me smile.
5. Invite friends over - even if people are sitting on the floor of an empty living room, having a few friends over for a glass of wine in the evening is the perfect way to feel at home.
While each of those techniques might seem insignificant on their own, together, they have made this place feel like home. I look forward to coming home and relaxing after work. I'm happy to be in Chicago and am especially happy to be home.
I always felt "at home" at Drury. Whether it was the community we had or the fact that Springfield wasn't too different from where I grew up, I was at home in every apartment and dorm room that I lived in. I never questioned why these places felt like home. I suppose in some ways I considered the roof over my head and a furnished bedroom enough. I have quickly learned that furniture does not make a home.
For the first five weeks that I lived in Chicago, I was staying with other people and I assumed that when I moved into my own apartment, I would feel at home.
I had been working for two months, living in my own apartment for several weeks, and was surprised to find that I still felt like I was on the longest vacation ever.
At this point, I realized that I needed to find a way to make Chicago, Hyde Park and my apartment feel like home. I began to look back at what made every other place I have lived feel like home.
The obvious answer was friends and family. However, I have several friends, including one that I live with. I go out with them most weekends, but that wasn't fixing the problem. The next answer was that in other homes I was settled, not living out of boxes. But for financial reasons, these boxes will continue to serve as closets, tables and bookshelves for a while.
What I needed was to physically make this place comfortable. So I started to look for other ways to feel "at home." And I found them. So in case you ever find yourself looking for ways to make a new home, here is what worked for me:
1. Join a gym - I can't explain it, but living healthy makes me feel like this is home, or maybe it simply improves my views. Either way, it helps.
2. Add flowers - my nearly bare room feels more alive with a fresh boquet always in a vase.
3. A few candles help since a place that smells good is that much more homey.
4. Make your bed - it was something that I often did, but I have found that coming home at the end of the day and seeing my bed looking like it could be in a magazine just makes me smile.
5. Invite friends over - even if people are sitting on the floor of an empty living room, having a few friends over for a glass of wine in the evening is the perfect way to feel at home.
While each of those techniques might seem insignificant on their own, together, they have made this place feel like home. I look forward to coming home and relaxing after work. I'm happy to be in Chicago and am especially happy to be home.
Article last update: 11/17/09 at 6:41 PM CST
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Descriptive essay writing
posted 11/27/09 @ 5:26 PM CST
It is a very interesting article!Thanks!
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