What does it truly mean to feel at home? Is it simply a physical space—a house or apartment—or is it something deeper? Something tied to one’s emotions, memories, and sense of belonging? The concept of home is complex, intertwining with one’s comfort in ourselves, our familiarity with surroundings, and the experiences built in a particular place.
Professor Williams said, “You have to be at home with yourself and in your own skin. You have to be comfortable with yourself to feel at home.” This perspective challenges the idea that home is merely a structure, suggesting instead that the feeling of home begins within us.
Home is often associated with safety—a place where one feels protected and at peace. This idea became evident in a classroom discussion where students were asked when they felt most at home. Their responses varied, reflecting just how personal the idea of home can be. For some, home is a familiar street, a recognizable face, or a neighborhood they know like the back of their hand. “You know how to get there, you’re familiar with your neighbors, the whole aspect of your surroundings is familiar,” one participant noted.
Memories play a crucial role in what makes a place feel like home. A scent, a sound, or even a specific meal can transport someone back to a time when they felt secure and connected. One student shared how the smell of her grandmother’s potato salad during the holidays evoked a deep sense of home. Others reflected on growing up in a particular area and how the sounds, people, and experiences of their childhood shaped their connection to that place.
However, for some, home ceases to be home when it no longer provides security. When asked if anyone had ever experienced a break-in, some students revealed that such incidents completely changed their perception of home. A space that once offered comfort becomes a place of fear. Some had to move away after experiencing break-ins or vandalism, as the emotional weight of those events made it impossible to feel at ease.
Diego Rivera, originally from Oxnard, moved to Bakersfield at age 10 but now finds that Oxnard does not feel like home to him but he truly feels at home when he is in Bakersfield. Eduardo Antonio Jimenez, who moved from Camarillo to Bakersfield at 13, shares a similar sentiment. When he
visits Camarillo, he feels like he belongs there, yet when he’s back in Bakersfield, he longs for his former home.
What we hear and smell can also shape our idea of home. Some people need absolute silence to sleep, while others find comfort in the background noise of a bustling neighborhood, a nearby train, or the hum of a freeway. Daily interactions, local dialects, and cultural traditions further reinforce a sense of belonging.
At its core, home is deeply personal. For some, it is a childhood house filled with nostalgia. For others, it is a place they have yet to find. Home is not just about where one lives it is about where one feels like they belong.
So, what makes a place feel like home to you? Is it the people, the memories, the sounds, the smells or is it something else entirely?
