home{sick}.

Here's another post where I get super real with you guys. Just brace yourselves and don't say I didn't warn you. :)

I miss Pittsburgh. I really do. I never thought I would - I lived there my entire life, seeing the same people I went to high school with in Giant Eagle, the crappy fall/winter/spring seasons and the terrible traffic on 376.

But I miss my friends and family. I miss calling a friend up and saying "Let's just go walk around downtown for the afternoon" or actually being able to watch a Pens game on TV (I've resorted to listening to the radio through the Pens app every game). I miss having a professional team in town - I know the Memphis Grizzlies are NBA, but I really hate basketball so I don't like them or care when their season starts. Sorry fellow Memphians. Although I did recognize Marc Gasol at The Lumineers concert, so bonus points to me for knowing who that is, right?

I won't lie to you, this past year has been hard. There's been times where I've cried myself to sleep being homesick and realizing I have no friends here. There's been times where I've been really, really depressed (especially lately with my car accident) and all I wanted was a hug from someone familiar. I've been home a couple times since I moved last August - last September, last Christmas, this past April & May and this Christmas too - but each time it's not any easier leaving. I sit here and countdown the days til I go home only to have the devil on my other shoulder remind me it's only for 5 days and by the time you unpack your suitcase, it's time to leave.

But on the flip side of that, I've experienced so much more in the past year than I would have if I hadn't taken this job. The biggest one is that I am lucky enough to work for a Fortune 500 company that pays me really well (although I spend waaayy more than I should on things I don't need... :X whoops), gives me full benefits and a matching 401k. I was honored to be selected as an advisor to a chapter of my sorority at a great university.

I met and am close with some amazing women of my sorority's alumnae chapter. I'm on our Think Pink committee that organizes our luncheon every February - last year we raised $26,000 for Breast Cancer Awareness & Education. And in June of next year I'm going to our convention in LA - the farthest west I've ever been is Dallas, TX.

I've gone to some great events in town, albeit alone, ate at some really amazing restaurants and rented/decorated my first big girl apartment. Looking back 5 years, I never would have imagined this is where I'd be today. Even just two years ago, my senior year of college, my 5 year plan was to work in Pittsburgh, live at home and pay off my student loans ASAP. But God/life/the Universe/whoever you believe in had other plans for me. And honestly I couldn't have matured the way I have (at least I think I'm a little more mature) had I stayed at home. Five years ago I thought I was going to move to Phoenix with my boyfriend at the time and we were going to live happily ever after.

-__- 

Yeah, that didn't work out.

Meeting those new friends and establishing those relationships post-grad is so much harder than you think. It really is, no matter what anyone says. Unless you're like some weirdo super popular friend magnet that can make a friend in the produce section of the grocery store. Don't get me wrong, I have "friends" that I can talk to about anything, but most of these women and men are older. As in, they have a family and own a home, older. Finding that core group of friends my age is way harder and it's something I think at least for a few more years I'll have trouble with. And don't even get me started on trying to find a man. That's a whole other blog post for another day!

If you've moved away from home recently (or ever), what do you struggle with the most?

Do you get homesick alot? If so, how do you cope?