It was at the Old Trafford stadium.
I remember sitting there in the stands watching the crowds clamour about waiting for a home game. But in the middle of it all, while everyone else was living in this very moment— I was... somewhere else entirely. However, as soon the crowd begun chanting as a single — “Country roads, take me home” — it hit me. Home. The place where I transitioned from a school student to an international pursuing higher dreams.

They say a new city offers a world of experiences, but they don’t tell you how hard it is to feel at home in it. Sure, I knew I’d call my family every day, but no amount of calls could replace the comfort of walking through my front door, hearing familiar voices, or those little routines that make a place feel like yours. I realised something that night at the game: even if I go back to Bangalore for a vacation, it won’t feel the same anymore. It’s weird how the smallest things—like your mom asking about your day, or meeting up with friends without a second thought—can become so distant so quickly.

Everyone raves about how amazing studying abroad is, and don’t get me wrong, it is. I’ve met people from around the world and had the chance to learn from professors I’d only read about before. But no one really talks about the other side of it—the sacrifices. The quiet moments when you’re left alone with your thoughts, knowing you can't just catch a movie with your mom. Or how adulting hits you full force because suddenly, every little thing is on you—managing your time, your finances, your well-being. It’s uncomfortable, it’s lonely at times, but I guess that’s where real growth begins, right?

Manchester, for all its charm, will never be Bangalore. And it took me a while to accept that. But dwelling on that won’t help. So, here I am, trying to make this city my second home. My new friends have started to feel like family. They care about me in ways I didn’t expect, and it’s slowly becoming enough. Every time my mind drifts back to the streets of Bangalore, I remind myself why I’m here.

Steve Jobs once said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” And it’s true. The uncertainties, the discomfort, the risks—they’re all part of the journey. Sometimes, failing is better than sitting with regret. So, if you’re reading this and feeling lost in the midst of all the change—ping me. We can be strangers, friends, whatever. Let’s rant about adulting (because yes, it sucks). But maybe, just maybe, we can make this phase of life a little more interesting, a little better.