Don't be fooled, I cried many times before I left for college. I am naturally a crier and find myself unexplainably sobbing at random times. And although I cried before leaving, simply at the fact that I had to say goodbye to everything I knew and all of my family, this time was different.

As I moved into my dorm room on Friday, I was surrounded by so many loving and supportive family members whom I love endlessly. They all left at separate times and I think that this may have played a role in when I cried as well. My Dad was the first to leave me in my new home. I knew it was going to be especially hard for him so I tried to make it as light-hearted and easy as possible. We both seemed upset but okay with the separating that was taking place.

My Mom, however, was staying the night in town and would be leaving on Saturday, therefore, I did not have to say a final goodbye to her yet. As Friday winded down my roommate and I hang out with some new friends we made and my Mom did her own thing as well. We reunited in the morning for breakfast at "Anton's" and we had a lovely last meal together.

As we came back to campus and my dorm room I felt the stress of not only my mom but my best friend leaving me... and it was scary. We finally got to say our goodbyes and we stood in my tiny hallway that led to my door and she said goodbye and started to walk out of the propped open door.

She quickly turned around, as soon as she stepped foot outside the door's threshold, and with the biggest smile and arms wide open she gave me the biggest bear hug ever and pulled away and said "I am so proud of you!" and I said "thank you" and she quickly stepped out and I hurried to grab the door, for I knew I could not hold back the tears any longer.

My tears while partially due to sadness were mostly motivated by the happiness I felt of being able to do what my parents hadn't had the chance of doing and that was attending college.

My greatest goal all of my life has been to make my parents proud, and at that moment I had never been surer that I was in the right place to make that goal a reality.