H0ME by:Rosie Valentino

Home isn’t just the place where I sleep. It’s where I go when the day is finally over and I can drop my backpack, take a breath, and relax after school and soccer. At home, I don’t have to act a certain way or impress anyone. I can just be me.Home usually starts with my three dogs running to the door like I’ve been gone for a year instead of one school day. No matter how my day went, they act like I’m the most important person in the world. Home is also spending time with my sister. Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we argue, and sometimes we ignore each other on purpose, which somehow still counts as hanging out.When school gets stressful or a soccer game doesn’t go how I hoped, home is the place that makes everything feel better. It reminds me that one bad day doesn’t mean a bad life. At home, I feel supported without having to explain myself.Home isn’t perfect, and it can be loud and messy, but that’s what makes it real. It’s made of people who care, dogs who shed everywhere, and moments that matter.To me, home is where I feel safe, loved, and ready to try again tomorrow. By:Rosie Valentino