An Open Letter To Our Parents From A College Student

Parental Unit,

I know it’s a rarity for me to contact you first, and I am fully aware that you are now doing the “ain’t that the truth” eye roll after just one sentence, but I promise I’ll make the rest of this worth the read. Let me start off by saying, I’m having the time of my life. As you know, college is this crazy place where you form bonds with people you’ve only known for months and for some crazy reason, you know that they will last forever. You meet people with the same ideas and you encounter individuals who will challenge you to rise above your pre-college self, and I can feel that happening with every passing day. Yes, I know you saw that picture of me partying on a Wednesday night, but I promise, that picture got a lot more likes than I’d get on one of me in the library (a place I actually do attend).

When you get worried and wonder if I’m making the right decisions, I hope that you can remember one very important thing: you raised me. You’re the best person I know, and the only reason I am finding such success in this place is because I utilize the skills you taught me every single day. I try my best not to slouch, I use better manners than I ever did at our dinner table, and I try my hardest to stay out of trouble (though lets keep in mind that no one ever made history by following the rules). I am who I am today because of you, and though I may be harder to love some days, you know you did a great job.

I know I don’t call home enough, but it doesn’t mean I don’t miss you. I miss home every day whether I admit it or not. I miss that amazing home cooking (some nights were better than others). I miss dad making sarcastic remarks under his breath. I miss mom asking me a million questions after school and being more involved in the latest gossip than I ever was. I miss spending time with my sibling(s), because it’s no secret that this gene pool is incomparable. And I really miss owning an animal instead of only encountering them in frat houses. College is amazing, my friends are my newest support system, but home will always be my happy place, no matter how many times I forget to remind you.

At the end of the day, I am only here because of you and I can’t even begin to explain how grateful I am for that. The support and love I feel every day is something you may think I take for granted, but I promise I am beyond appreciative for all that you’ve done. You know all of those years of nagging and lessons that you promised I would one-day thank you for? Well the day has come, and here I am saying, thank you.

Love Always,

Your Favorite Child (whether you admit it or not).