Mother’s Day was this past weekend, as many of you know. And it made me think about all of the things that my mother has taught me, that I didn’t even realize she had until I came to college. It took me moving out of my house and into a world of unknowns to realize all of the things my mom tried to tell me before. All of those life lessons that sounded dumb at the time were wise words that I never knew I would need. Here is a list of things that my mom taught me, and that 20 years later I am forever thankful for
1. Boys are dumb
This was actually the first sentence I ever said in my life, and I think teaching me to say this, as an infant is still my mom’s proudest accomplishment to date. It’s true, boy’s are in fact, dumb. Not in an intelligence way, because I know several boys that have a higher GPA than me, but more in the understanding how girls work way. No matter if the boy is seven, 24, or 80, his understanding of the female brain is the exact same. And yes, I will admit that as a girl, I don’t even understand half the stuff I do. I know that I can act crazy, but I don’t need you to also point out that I am acting crazy.
2. Eat your vegetables
The Freshman Fifteen is a very real thing, and I learned this year that the Sophomore Twenty is an even realer thing. Freshman year you have a meal plan, which you don’t realize, actually saves you a lot of time and money. At the time all you want to do is vomit when you walk inside those doors and get a whiff of that horrible smelling pizza. Sophomore year you’re in charge of making and buying your own food. So whenever you get tired and don’t even feel like heating up some mac and cheese, you know that just five minutes away is that busy college town street with about eight different fast food restaurants put there just for us to hate ourselves come bikini season. So yes, this does start to impact not only your body, but also your bank account. And at some point I will have to stop telling myself “Next year I will eat right and get into shape,” because the likelihood of that happening is slim as well.
3. Wash behind your ears
Before coming to college and living in a dorm where I had to share a bathroom with about 30 other girls, I never realized how disgusting some people could be. Like honestly you don’t even want to know what all I have found in those community showers. Now I will admit, I am not the cleanest person, I only wash my hair every other day, and I let my laundry pile up until I run out of clean underwear. But after seeing some useable things, I am very thankful that I was raised to maintain somewhat proper hygiene.
4. Look presentable
Okay yes I go to class in t-shirts and Norts like every other basic girl out there, I don’t wake up an hour early to do my hair and makeup before my early morning French class. But I know how to dress appropriately when needed. I won’t be the girl at the frat parties who’s butt is hanging out of her pants or whose boobs are about to pop out, that’s not comfortable to me. I know what looks best on me and I know how to dress myself. When I have presentations in class, I’m not the kid who has to ask what exactly is “business casual,” I am well aware of what to wear. I will admit college is definitely the time to wear crop tops and short dresses, if you are into that stuff, because after this all of that is deemed inappropriate for any occasion.
Thank you for looking out for me for all of those years mom; you really are the very best.
