It's only my third day living at my new place, but already I feel at home. This is the first time in three years that I've felt at home in this city, and I have to say that it's a good feeling. Sure, I still have to steal toilet paper from the student center, my refridgerator froze all of my eggs solid and I almost burned some of my hair off getting the pilot lights on the stove lit yesterday... but somehow, it doesn't faze me.
The security guards at the desk insist that I stop showing them my ID when I come in (an old habit from more strict dorms) because they all know me already. The regular people who live in the building are nice and actually smile and greet me in the elevator. I get to watch the empire state building light up every night through my lovely windows. Best of all, I finally feel like I have a good amount of space, which is such a commodity in this crowded city.
I never thought any place other than Los Angeles would feel like home to me, but I guess I take a little more time to feel at home than most. I just hope that my positive outlook doesn't change too radically when the academic year brings my suitemates back to the city and I can't walk around naked anymore
For now, I'm enjoying every last bit of having a place to call my own.