I've been living away from home since the middle of August now, but it feels like it has been years. Being at college is the most enriching experience that someone can have. A student is constantly surrounded by their peers who are all there to learn about the things they're passionate about. Friendship, competition, homework, football games, and endless questions about who we are and who we're going to be fill the daily lives of college students. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in all of it and forget about how we got to where we are and where it all started: our parents. They can either be thousands of miles away or just around the corner from where you're going to college, but it's never a bad idea to reflect on the parents, guardians, or whoever had the chance to raise you, and thank them for doing so.

Living away from you both is the best thing that has ever happened to me, but not because I don't love you. Being on my own has showed me how well prepared I am to take on the real world. Kids spend years living with their parents or guardians, learning what it takes to live as an adult, however nothing can quite prepare you for the slap in the face that college will be. I'm so grateful that my parents have given me the tools to be able to scrape by on my own. No, I don't always eat as healthy as I should. Yes, I do spend way too much money on food instead of learning how to cook myself or going to the dining halls more often. I'm still just a kid, I'll make mistakes like we all do, and like we're all supposed to do. My parents gave me a good example of what I should be striving to be.

After spending months away, coming home is always sweeter. The dorm life is great--most of the time. Don't get me wrong, living with your new friends is such a fun time, but nothing beats sleeping in your own bed in a home filled with the family you grew up with. The first time I went home in the semester I cried when my plane hit the tarmac, it'd been months since I'd seen the friends I have known for years and been held in the arms by my dad. That short weekend was a much needed reset in the height of the semester. The dining hall could never compare to a home cooked meal, and, I'm sorry friends, but nothing beats a conversation with my dad. Being away for so long helps you appreciate the people and the place that you took for granted for so long.

Home may be far away, but you know that the support coming from it never stops. Whether it's in the form of care packages, good morning texts, or a long phone call after a hard day, the people back home are always there for you. I know that I called my mom and my dad whenever I was stressing about a test or didn't know how to schedule myself a doctors appointment when I was sick, and my friends all did the same. I can't fully express how grateful I am that my parents are there every step of the way.

To my parents: Thank you. I know I've got a ways to go, and even more to learn, but you've both set me up to be where I am today. Being away from home has made me realize how much I took everything you both gave me for granted, and I can't imagine how this may feel for you. My family sent away two kids in the span of a month to two different colleges a thousand miles away, so from me to you, I love you.

Love,

Kelly

(p.s. I'm not going to forget about you both like you seem to think I'm going to)