The extreme excitement and pride
College is one of the most exciting journeys we go on in life because of the dramatic changes our lives make in such a short period of time. You make new friends, find new hobbies, figure out what interests you, try new things, and get so many new opportunities. Whether you go to school 30 minutes away or 5 hours away, the excitement you feel of being in a new place will consume you. Trying new restaurants, going to new stores, and just a simple change of scenery is sometimes all it takes for you to feel like your life is headed in a completely new, exciting direction. Your parents will see all of the new things you’ll experience and feel so much pride within themselves because they’re responsible for making all of it possible along with your ambitions and hard work. The pride that a parent feels while watching their children grow is sometimes even stronger than the pride the actual student feels about their accomplishments. My mom’s always said, “I will always be your biggest fan.”
Just remember, the sadness is temporary, the emptiness fades away, and the new life that is ahead of both you and your parents comes along with both disappointment and accomplishments. It’s an emotional journey to say the least, but if you just sit back and enjoy what’s about to happen to you, or your child, and watch how you grow as a person, college is one of the best experiences you will ever have. It’s where I found myself, where I grew (sometimes literally, ugh), where I laughed, cried, made memories, made friends, lost friends, and succeeded far beyond my dreams. Don’t look at this change as a loss of an old you or an old life you knew- look at this experience as the next step in your long journey called life. And remember, it’s not as hard as you think it’ll be.
