Yes, I am 22-years-old and still call my mom almost every day.

I'll call her when I have something important to tell her or to say hi, and more often than not when I don't want to do my homework and need someone to talk to. She calls me in the mornings to wake me up for class because I asked her too and doesn't complain when I interrupt her work days with frantic phone calls about failing a test.

My mom is the person who I can't wait to tell when something good happens. Or when something bad happens. Or when I'm at a party and remember that I actually hate parties. (BTW, that's totally true- I once left a party to go sit in a friend's car and call my mom for almost an hour).

Maybe you think that's lame or weird, but I honestly don't know if I'd be where I am in my life without her phone calls.

I decided to go to college 2,000 miles away for the experience. To see if I could do it. But I never imagined the impact it would have on my sense of relationships and family.

Not being able to see my friends and family as often as the majority of other people has made me realize how important relationships are- and how much work goes into maintaining the ones that matter.

I actually have to try to talk to people. I have to put effort into the relationships that I want to keep because I can't just get dinner with them when I want to see them or say hi in the hall at school.

As I'm nearing the fateful day that is college graduation, I realize how important family is, no matter where we all are in the world. I miss being able to crawl into my mom's bed and talk about my day. I miss the sound of my brother listening to his music while he does homework in the room next to me. I miss the quiet dinners and not so quiet Netflix watching under tons of blankets while it snows.

So, yes, calling my mom almost every day helps bring a little bit of those missing pieces back together. Whether it's an hour-long conversation or a quick 10-minute wake-up call, each one is just as important.

So call your mom. Tell her you love her, tell her about your day, ask her about her's, make sure you cultivate the relationships that matter to you.