We all have parents. "Yes, Kevin. That's kind of how it works."
Parents may seem horrible, but they really aren't all that bad. You may be thinking that I have officially lost my sanity, but I assure you that this simple fact sometimes goes unnoticed. We do not always recognize everything that our parents do for us and sometimes we even forget that they exist. As sad as this sounds, it's true. So let's take a moment out of our day to fully appreciate parents in all their glory. Let's look at everything that they actually do for us crazy and occasionally ungrateful college students.
1.) They feed us actual, real, food!
Sometimes we get so caught up in our world of Ramen noodles and lack of sleep that we don't appreciate when our parents get us groceries. Or even better, they get themselves groceries, make food, and give said food to us when we come home to visit! It's the little things, right?
2.) They listen to our problems when they have a bajillion of their own.
Let's face it, in college we like to complain about how hard our lives are and while some of us may not exactly be smooth sailing, we don't really have it all that bad. Most college students don't have a mortgage to juggle along with a full time job while trying to keep a car together with duct tape. And you know that Debra is constantly calling your mother asking her to help her with her garden. But do they complain when we call them in the middle of one of our mental breakdowns? Let's take a moment to let that sink in before moving to #3.
3.) They bail us out of impossible situations.
Rent due, college payment due, and that pesky medical bill from that one thing that happened in high school. These can really add up and on top of that most of us like to eat! If your paycheck doesn't hit the bank on time, your car breaks down, or you drop a quarter down the gutter, you are pretty much screwed until your next paycheck. Parents understand that life happens. They have been through it all before and want you to be successful. It's okay to ask for help. They love you and they will not turn down an opportunity to help you learn how to adult successfully! So I guess that makes them the real MVPs
4.) They give you sound advice when you lose your adult handbook.
Okay, so maybe you didn't get an actual handbook on how to adult. The thing is that parents have been through all of the hell that you are going through before. So it's really nature's way of saying "here are some people that kind of know what's going on. Don't screw up." Parents are invaluable resources full of information on things you don't learn in school such as how to do taxes, how to create a budget, how to effectively manage your time, how to buy a car, house, or any other major purchase you will have to make. Parents are freaking encyclopedias. You just have to actually ask the questions.
5.) They provide you with encouragement that nobody else will.
It's a dog-eat-dog world and if you don't suck it up then you will be the second dog which probably isn't on your list of fun things to do. One thing you can always count on is your parents not being the first dog. You are what will carry on their legacy and they want you to succeed. When you have that teacher or crazy boss telling you that you will never make it anywhere, your parents are there to tell you that you can if you work hard. Now I'm not talking about the cheesy "you can do anything" spiel that one sees on inspirational posters. More of the "quit feeling sorry for yourself because you are better than this" spiel that actually gets you to do something. So don't get mad when they tell you to do something. They only do this because they know you have the power to accomplish your goals.
