My early teenage years were nasty. When I was a teenager, there were some (many) times when I failed to appreciate my parents. Sometimes, college educates beyond the textbooks and can teach valuable life lessons. In my short time at college, one lesson I have learned is how much I need and love my parents.
Many underestimate how hard it is to live away from home. For the past 18 years, my parents worked hard to accommodate all of my needs. Now, it is up to me to take care of myself. Leaving home for college was such an eye opener on how much I relied on my parents. No more home cooked meals, no more folded laundry, no more clean bathrooms, no one to kill the spiders (which I have yet to encounter, thankgod). But really, take a second and think about all the things parents do for us. Living on my own showed me how much my parents did to ensure I was raised well, healthy and happily.
The main goal of attending college is to be successful. My goal was to work hard, become successful and make myself proud. When my dad hugged me goodbye and told me to make him proud I knew my job at college shifted. It wasn’t only to work hard to make myself proud, but to make my parents proud as well. I dream of the day when I am successful and my parents say, “I am so proud of you, you did it.” If that isn’t enough motivation to study an extra hour for an exam or to actually do your work on Sundays, then I don’t know what is. My parents have done so much in their lives to make me proud; I want to do the same for them.
It wasn’t until college where I learned how fortunate I am to have my parents. Not everyone is lucky enough to have two parents who love and support them the way mine do. College has opened my eyes to how lucky I am to have them. I learned to appreciate every little thing they do for me so much more. I can’t imagine my life without my parents. Knowing there were times where I didn’t appreciate them makes me sick. My parents are the two most amazing, supportive and influential people I will ever know.
Being a teenager comes with a lot of ups and downs. A lot of people come and go, but my parents were always there. I never realized how much my parents have done for me until now. College taught me to appreciate my parents because they have gone above and beyond for me. I love my parents dearly and will do everything I can to show my appreciation for them. My parents have done one heck of a job raising me and I couldn’t be more thankful for them both.
