To the incoming college freshmen,

In this coming month you're going to begin packing away all of the things you need to move away from home for the very first time. You're going to begin to notice your parents begging for a little more time with you or for you to stay home one night instead of going out with your friends. I get it, this is your last time to hangout with them too. You're probably thinking "I see my parents every day what's the big deal?" The big deal is your parents are about to go through a big life change just like you are. If you are an only child, their only baby is leaving the nest. If you have siblings they have to adjust to only having how ever many kids at home.

This is the day that they prayed would come and when it came they prayed time would freeze or that they could turn the clock back to the day you got out of diapers (because who wants to go back to diaper changing days). They spent 18 years raising you, praying for you, watching you grow into who you are, and now they are watching you make your dreams become reality. They molded you into who they wanted you to be or at least tried anyways. So as you are closing a chapter in your life and opening a new one so are they.

When move in day finally comes be sure to thank your parents. I mean they put up with you for 18 years and I promise you were not a perfect angel. Maybe even buy your mom some flowers and surprise her. It will mean more than you think. When you are finally unpacking in your dorm and mom begs you to put up curtains, let her. When she wants to make sure every box is unpacked before she leaves you, let her. When she wants to go to the store and buy you junk you don't need, let her. When she cleans your perfectly clean dorm, let her. When she wants to take a million pictures of you, let her. When she introduces herself to everyone in your hall, don't be embarrassed. When it comes time to say goodbye and she begs you to just go to lunch, go. She just wants a little more time with her baby. When she finally is getting ready to leave and won't stop crying, let her cry. When she won't stop hugging you, don't push her away. Remember she's going through a big change too. For the first time ever she is leaving her baby at their new home. For the dads, when he goes to hug you goodbye and you see his eyes start watering up, don't say anything. Chances are he's trying to hide it. I guess what I'm trying to say is all that your parents want in this world is to see you succeed, but it is going to hurt them a little along the way (good pain).

Just remember your parents are changing too.