While most people at high school graduation swear to never return to their hometown for anything more than Thanksgiving and Christmas with family, a recent study found that a majority of people say they would be open to moving back to their hometown at some point later in life.
People move back to their hometowns for a number of reasons. Some find job opportunities there, some want to be closer to family, others miss the familiarity. Whatever the reason, there are obvious benefits to moving back to the place where you grew up, but there are also obvious downsides as well.
One of the biggest pros to moving home is that you get to be closer to your family, allowing them to be an active participant in your life, as opposed to a weekly phone call and occasional spotting at holidays. If you have kids, they can really get to know their grandparents and other extended family (not to mention the perk of free childcare when you have willing babysitters). This, however, can quickly transform into a con if you begin to receive a lot of unexpected drop-in guests. With that in mind, it’s important to set some ground rules with your loved ones so you don’t become overwhelmed.
Another plus to moving home is that, for many, it is a very meaningful transition. Some find their move back home enriched their commitment to improving their little corner of the world, as they feel strong ties to their hometown. Some felt lost in the big city and found moving to their rural hometown helped to rediscover themselves and provide inspiration. Moving home also gives you the opportunity to reconnect with old friends still in the area while at the same time making new friends with the people who moved to your hometown since you’ve left it.
Moving home does have its challenges, however. It can be hard to combat those teenage perceptions and many find it embarrassing, thinking others could perceive their move as a sign of defeat. The small talk that seems to follow you everywhere you go can also be overwhelming. There are pressures to do business with friends who stayed in the area and having to leave the friends you made at your old place of residence can be hard. The biggest hardship, however, comes when you realize that your hometown is not the same place you left all those years ago. Many of your friends have moved away and strangers live in their houses, your parents’ neighbors no longer have familiar faces, and your favorite local restaurant was replaced by a chain. The best way to combat the nostalgia that comes with the realization that the place you knew growing up no longer exists in entirety is to treat your hometown as you would any new town or city you move to. You have to start, essentially, from scratch: learning the area, meeting new people, finding new activities.
Moving home can be a whirlwind of emotions, both positive and negative. If you are considering moving back to your hometown, make sure you consider all the factors of why you want to move home and what the negative impacts could be. Overall, though, moving home can be a largely rewarding experience and well worth the challenges that come with it.
