If I had a penny for every time my friends have said, “Thanks Mom”, I’d be rich. Somewhere between the lines of high school and college I’ve morphed into the Mom of the group. This happens everywhere I go. It’s happened at work, in group me, and with my friends at school. I didn’t really know what to think of it at first. Did that mean I was too responsible? Was I not fun? Was I being annoying? I’ve grown to accept it though, and now I proudly own my “Mom life”. Here’s a few things about being the "Mom" of many college students:
1) You Carry A Bag That Would Make Mary Poppins Jealous
People always ask if you have things, because they know you keep literally everything in your backpack. Advil, granola bars, tissues, hand sanitizer, notebook paper. They name it, you’ve got it.
2)You are the provider of food.
Whether you’ve packed it, cooked it, or bought it, your friends will never go hungry. I’m the person that goes on their lunch break at work to buy food for their co-workers. If I find a friend that missed lunch, you can bet that I will be making sure they eat as soon as possible. No kids will go hungry on my watch!
3)You're the go to counselor of the group
.....and everybody knows it. You put out fires left and right, and offer enough life advice to write a best-selling novel. Always being emotionally available can be draining, but it’s always worth it when your friends come back and say, “Thank you so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you”.
4)You’re the group planner for all activities
.... because you’re the only person that has their act together. Heck, if it wasn’t for you, you guys would never do any fun, organized activities!
5)You speak “Mom language”.
Did you finish that paper? Do you need anything? How are you doing? Watch where you're going! You need to wear a jacket today! Don't touch that!
6)You’re always the driver
...and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Hey, college kids are some irresponsible drivers! No way are you trusting them with your life! Like any good Mom, you drive a big vehicle that seats seven, so that everyone will always have a ride.
7) You're the peacemaker
If you see a fight going down, you don't hesitate to step right in the middle of it, and say, "Let's take a deep breath and try using our words".
Being the Mom may be work at times, but one day you’ll look down at your giant cup of coffee, Mary Poppins tote bag, and texts from your twelve “kids”, and think, “I’m pretty darn blessed.”
Besides, there’s no question about who’s going to be the best Mom in the group. You're already doing it!
