Moving out is something that, ideally, we all eventually do. We may do it for different reasons and at different ages, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are things we miss about home.

The home-cooked meals, conveniently close washing machines and a fridge that is always magically full of food are obviously missed. Even at the risk of sounding sappy, I have found that there are other, less conventional things that I really miss about home, too.

This first one might sound a little weird, but I miss my parents’ laughter. My family, especially my mom and dad, never fail to make me laugh. We can spend hours cracking jokes together and never get bored.

Even at the risk of sounding full of myself, I want to say that my family is hilarious. Now it’s possible that I’m extremely biased on this issue, but if you met my family, you just might agree with me.

I’m thankful for technology that allows me to call, text and FaceTime them whenever I feel the need for a good laugh. I can always count on a joke or funny story to be told when I talk to my family.

Another thing I really miss about home is my pets. I knew before moving out that I would miss them, but I didn’t realize how much they had become a part of my normal routine.

It was normal to be asked to let out the dogs several times a day or to spend weekends outside with the animals. When I moved into my own animal-less apartment, it was eerily quiet and free of pet responsibilities.

While I don’t miss the accidents and pet hair all over my clothes, I definitely miss the routine of having pets and the love that they give.

Something else I found myself missing about home was the scenery. I call southern Utah home which is famous for its gorgeous red rocks. I found myself a little distracted as I drove around my hometown during my past visit.

It didn’t dawn on me until much later that I had grown so accustomed to them. Ogden and the surrounding areas also have gorgeous scenery, but there’s nothing quite like the red rocks to put a smile on my face.

Now to focus back on my actual home, there’s another thing that I strangely found myself missing—the smells of home. It’s funny how many memories can be locked into a scent.

The familiar scent of detergent that my mom always uses on our bed sheets or even the smell of the kitchen on Sunday morning as my mom cooks breakfast can transport me back in time to a memory.

The last thing about home that I miss is my favorite grocery store. Now, I’ll admit this does sound a teensy bit silly at first, but it should make some sense after I explain why.

I grew up going to the same grocery store each week with my family, and it hasn’t changed too much since then. The layout stays the same, and I’ve known some of the employees so long that now they feel like old friends.

While I am glad I have the opportunity to live in Ogden and attend Weber State University, I will always love being able to come home for a visit and experience all these good things again.