I'll just go ahead and say it, when your family comes to visit you in college, it's a little weird. Especially as you get older, everything about their long-awaited visit becomes that much more exciting, yet tedious. I know for some of you, you can't possibly make sense of my above statement. If you're a first-semester freshman, upcoming family visits are the only thing that gets you through the day sometimes. We've all been there.
The beginning of freshman year is a balancing act with new found independence. The amount of choices you have to make for yourself is thrilling, yet daunting. You'll either call your Mom for everything or for hardly anything at all. The months will fly by. You'll learn a lot. Soon you'll almost forget what it was like before you were your own boss. Summer will come and go. You'll head back to school in the fall. You will thank God you finally get to be fully in charge of yourself again.
And then boom, the family wants to come up for a visit.
About a month before they actually come they'll start calling to ask what weekend would work best. You'll look at your calendar and suggest a date or two. You'll give them this date with all the confidence in the world as if you actually always schedule nonacademic events ahead of time. You'll laugh out loud and continue on with your day.
This feeling of excited anticipation will soon follow. When family comes to town it's kind of like you get to pause being an adult for a few days. Your meals will get paid for, time will slow down. For once, you're able to breathe and not have to make every little decision for yourself. Amazing.
However, life will go on. Your family visit will feel like it's an eternity away. School work will cloud your mind again. Time will pass and then suddenly one day it will hit you. You'll be on the phone with your mom and she'll end the call by saying something like, "Bye, I can't wait to see you this weekend." Crap. You'll come up with a quick response. Something that will lead her to believe that you've been counting down the days just like she has.
Panic.
Growing up, we've all seen our Moms go into panic mode right before company comes over. Every countertop, toilet seat, and baseboard must be spick and span. All pillows fluffed, a fall candle must be burning and cookies need to be in the oven. As a kid, you'll never really understand the intense stress that occurs right before said family event. You'll answer her frantic calls for help but in the end, this is her show, not yours.
I'll tell you what though, the minute you become an adult is the minute you feel this mom panic wash over you.
You'll hang up the phone and get to work. Or you'll at least think about it. The week will come to an end. You'll soon find yourself running around your apartment at 11 am right before the family arrives. You'll want to dust every knock and cranny. You'll put a coffee table book out just to make yourself feel a little more sophisticated. You'll throw out the old macaroni and cheese in the fridge and you're light that candle just like your mom would.
You'll get a text to let you know they have arrived. Their familiar and comforting embrace will be the best thing in the world. The next few hours will be filled with lots of laughter and talking.
As quickly as these warm fuzzy feelings happen, they begin to slip away. You'll start to get annoyed answering the same questions over and over. Your Grandmother will without a doubt ask about the weather. She'll ask about the zipper that gave you trouble on your winter coat from last season. Your little brother will ask if you have a boyfriend. When you answer, "no" he'll assume you're lying. You'll feel guilty for feeling overwhelmed and annoyed but let just be real, it happens to the best of us.
The weekend will go on. You will calm down again. you'll learn to relax and enjoy their company. You'll smile and laugh more then you have in a while. You'll come to the realization that you missed them just as they missed you. You'll decide that you aren't as much of an adult as you considered yourself to be.
Soon the fun must come to an end. The goodbye hugs are hard to give. No tears are shed but in the back of your mind, it's sad to see them go. You'll watch them drive off and thank god you have them in your life forever.
