Mom and Dad:
I remember the first day of college when you helped me unpack my things. You grabbed my clothes and folded them neatly in the dresser (sadly they aren’t like that now), and helped adjust my bed.
The prospect of going to college was terrifying in and of itself, however, the thought of leaving you was worse still. I miss both of you so much. When you gave me a hug and told me you loved me, I swallowed my tears. I tried not to cry. When you left I felt sad.
College is supposed to be about independence and experiencing personal growth. While I believe the latter is true, the former is not exactly correct. I don’t believe a person is ever really “independent.” I try to call you as much as possible and spend time with our family that is nearby on the weekends. I am never truly on my own, but I do find that I have to make more on the spot decisions. I have to decide what to do with my time, and how to talk to my professors without any help.
However, even when I make those on the spot decisions, I don’t really feel like they are being made on my own. Mom and dad, the values you instilled in me have been carried with me to college. I know when to draw the line, and I try to be safe. I never walk in the dark on my own; I go to the library when I can in order to study and I do not make stupid decisions just because “everyone else is doing it.”
Do not get me wrong, I have messed up a few times. I will go to class half asleep, I will struggle with assignments and sometimes I’ll watch Netflix when I should have been studying.
Understand that even though I have those moments, I always learn from them. I think, “What could I have done differently? What would my mom and dad have told me to do?” Of course, thinking those questions before I sit down to watch Stranger Things is better, but I want you to know I am trying to watch TV less and study more. I am learning to balance my time between academics, school clubs and friends. Similar to how Trump’s platform is about putting America First, I try to put my academics first.
I want to make y’all proud. I want to get good grades and be the best person I can be. I want to be kind and helpful.
The point of this letter is simple. Even though I am all the way in South Carolina and y’all are in Virginia, I am not really that far from you. I have spent eighteen years learning from you, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to be like you. I sat in the “time out” chair more often than not, and I obviously was not a perfect kid. I struggled a lot with moving, and I still struggle. But I know I am not alone in this, and you are not THAT far. I still get to see you and look forward to those times.
Thank you for believing in me, even when I did not. Without you, I would not be where I am today. I know this is cliché, and a million people have probably written letters to their parents on Odyssey, but I figured I should try. So thank you again.
I love you.
