When my partner got into graduate school in New York City, I saw it as the perfect chance to escape my hometown.
I’d been in Atlanta my whole life and was ready for something new. Plus, my partner lived in a more rural area, so the first six months of our relationship had been long-distance.
In love, eager to leave Georgia, and ready to spend more time with my partner, I followed them to New York. We filled a U-Haul with all our belongings, drove 18 hours to Brooklyn, and moved into a one-bedroom apartment.
Not long after, they broke up with me. The reality of living together for the remainder of our lease hit hard.
The walls carried too many memories, and I could faintly hear the repetition of our arguments play through my head every time I opened the door to our apartment.
So, three days after the split, I filled a backpack, borrowed a suitcase from my ex, and booked a one-way flight to my hometown.
I told myself the move was temporary, that I was just going home until our lease was up. However, something in me knew I needed more than just distance — I needed restoration.
Once I was home, I built up a community and started taking care of myself
The first thing I did when I touched down in Atlanta was Google, “What do I do after a breakup?” After reading many advice articles, I realized I needed a good support system.
So, I downloaded friendship-making apps and reached out to old friends from middle school. I reconnected with the friend group I’d left behind when I moved, and even tried a community speed-friending event (it was more fun than I expected).
Although moving back home felt like a setback at first, I pushed myself to rediscover Atlanta.
I walked around the Beltline on warm afternoons and spent evenings at local food festivals and parties. The city’s sunny weather made it easy for me to embrace the outdoors, practicing yoga at local parks and taking long daily walks.
I had a lot of work to do, so I went to therapy, spent time with my family, and even took myself on solo dates. I got a gym membership and started to focus on my fitness journey.
At first, I was just hoping to fill my days, but I soon started to enjoy the stillness and solitude of spending so much time by myself. For the first time in years, I was alone in a way that didn’t feel lonely.
At last, I saw myself and my hometown through a new lens
The experience taught me that home isn’t always something to escape — it can be something to rediscover.
Moving back to Atlanta helped me see the beauty in my community and city, and it also made me see the beauty within myself. It was nice to focus on my own needs and desires, and I realized that I was whole with or without a partner.
In many ways, I wasn’t just returning to my hometown when I moved. I was returning to myself.
