With college move in dates right around the corner, I found it appropriate to make my first writing piece about temporary goodbyes. This being with family, a boyfriend or girlfriend or just someone special. Saying goodbye for now never seems to get any easier. I couldn’t be more excited about college. With rush week fast approaching, it brings new friends and new memories. Football season is just right after that, which means tailgating and new memories. One perk of going to a major basketball school is obviously basketball season which, you guessed it, brings new memories. There could be a moment when I’m bouncing off the walls for excitement for this new adventure in my life, but then I catch myself getting too excited in front of the ones I’m leaving behind. My dad, my boyfriend and everyone else I care about. The ones I’ve already made amazing memories with, whom I plan to make more with, just not in the next nine months. I’ve made it a point all summer to make sure I spent enough time with everyone I could before picking up and moving four hours away. School is back in session at your old high school, which means summer has come to an end for everyone around you. As your summer is now reaching it's end, here’s some advice to help you through the transition:
1. Boyfriends:
If you are worried about leaving your boyfriend at home while you go off to start this new adventure in your life without him by your side, just think of how special the moments are going to be whenever you get to see him again. They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder, and at this age we don’t really appreciate the little things like we should. Maybe the time apart will make the time together that much more special.
2. Parents:
Now if you are worried about your parents, or parent, just know that they’re happy for you and probably could not be any happier. Do not forget about them though; you are typically going to be texting your boyfriend every day, but try to call your family back home at least every other day to just check up on them. And when they ask you about college, which they will, do not include everything negative. Do not worry them by all the little stuff that is not going to matter next week, tell them you are having the time of your life, that you are doing well in your classes, and making plenty of new friends. Your parents are not at college with you to be able to catch up on everything, so keep them up to date as much as you can and do not talk negatively about someone because nine times out of 10 your parents are not as forgiving as you.
3. Siblings:
If you have little siblings at home, you will know this to be especially true. Those little rascals can be an absolute pain in your rear end, but you cannot imagine it any other way. Be mindful that the past few months you, the college student, has had most of the attention in the household. Prom, graduation, getting ready for college… Your siblings are probably ready for you to leave. So if they get a little irritated with you, don’t take it to heart too much. Try to take them out to ice cream or to your local jump park or something. Make it all about them. At their ages, they don’t realize that their world really is going to change once you leave. Everyone in your family is going to have to go through this adjustment period, so make sure you don’t forget birthdays or special events. If you really don’t have anything going on at college that weekend, go home and seem them. And try not to cry when they start crying.
4. Grandparents
Try to call your grandparents every other week, and if that seems too much, at least once a month. Remember as you’re growing older, so are they. It may not seem like it now, but you’ll appreciate those phone calls a lot more later on when you can’t make them anymore.
Always remember: if leaving wasn’t bittersweet, it would mean you had nothing good to leave behind.
