I’ve always been a fan of Valentine’s Day.
Growing up, my dad would buy me a bouquet of flowers, and my mom would make me heart-shaped, chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. I looked forward to indulging in endless supplies of Fun Dip and seeing if my crush had sent a candy gram to my class.
But when Feb. 14 creeps up on me now that I’m in college, the day has taken on a new meaning.
As an out-of-state student from South Florida, I’ve often experienced days where I’ve felt pretty lonely at school — and not because I’m not in a relationship.
My sense of home and comfort has drastically shifted at UNC. I’ve lived with six strangers in a suite-style hall, joined a student-run paper with no prior journalism experience and downed many dinners that in no way live up to my mom’s.
What’s helped me cope on lonely days besides one-too-many FaceTime calls and strings of text messages? Music.
Music is what I’ve turned to throughout my two years here at UNC to remember the people, places, tastes and feelings of home.
Songs like Peter Frampton’s “Show Me the Way” or America's "Ventura Highway" transport me to the Florida Keys as I fish next to my dad. I can feel the summer beams on my skin, smell the SPF 100 sunscreen slathered on my pale skin and hear the reel of my fishing line bend.
When I miss my mom, I turn on 4 Non Blondes or Alanis Morissette. Songs like “What’s Up?” and “Ironic” take me to my mom’s suburban, whizzing past rush hour traffic on our hour-long trek home from school.
