Over the last few weeks, I have been able to reflect on my life in a way that I have never been able to before.
My family will be moving at the beginning of February for the first time since I was 8 years old, and the process has been very emotional
I have been packing up belongings from the place I have called my home for the past 12 years.
With this move, I am saying goodbye to the house that saw me through several important stages of my life.
The place I came home to after every day of high school, after graduation and the place I received my acceptance letter from Gannon will no longer be my home.
My family will no longer live in the house that my little brother walked out of for his first day of his freshman year of high school.
Because I have been living on campus for the last three years, most of my belongings have traveled with me to the different places I have lived.
The process of packing up the rest of my childhood room has been difficult, and I would be lying if I said I haven’t been putting it off.
The feeling of throwing away items that belong to you or used to hold a significant meaning can be strange, but because my family will be downsizing to a new house, I have had to part with many things very quickly.
Throughout the packing process, I have also come across items that I had stored away and not seen in a while.
I rediscovered a box that held my cap and gown from my high school graduation, as well as cards from family wishing me luck after graduation as I took the leap into my college career.
Finding these kinds of items has made me appreciate the time I got to spend with my family in the home they will soon leave behind.
This whole process has also made me realize how much I have grown up in the past few years.
I don’t think you ever really realize how much you have changed until you take the time to reflect back on your times of growth.
While packing away all of my memories, I have had the opportunity to look at old yearbooks that would have just remained stored away.
I have gotten to read through old notebooks and see my life through the eyes of my younger self once again.
Many people may see the act of packing up all of their belongings into boxes as an annoying task, but I am glad I have gotten to take this time and reflect, therefore making it a more positive experience.
I feel as though people don’t take the opportunity to reflect on their time in a certain place until that time is coming to an end.
This was true for me, as I never thought I would be saying goodbye to the home I spent my teenage years living in.
I am, however, looking forward to making new memories in a new home with my family.

HARLEE BOEHM
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