Can i make certain categories NOT appear on the home page?

Yes it is but I can’t remember exactly how. Basically you need to insert some conditional code into the part of the page that inserts posts which will check the Category and include or not based on that.

As I say, that’s what you need to do and I know its possible as this issue has come up before but I can supply a more detailed answer of how to.

you want the ‘advanced category excluder’ !!.. works a treat!.

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/advanced-category-excluder/

One possible plugin to do that:
https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/advanced-category-excluder/

Also, the Codex has a section about that subject in the article The Loop.

[mdskinner faster ;)]