With the start of orientation being a few short days away, the more I realize how real this whole new experience is about to be.

Instead of going to school all day and coming home to a meal cooking for dinner, I'll go to a class or two and be making myself some ramen.

Instead of the normal nights spent sitting on the couch talking to my mom about my day, we'll just be talking on the phone.

Instead of playing Yahtzee together on the living room floor, we'll be playing miles away from each other over FaceTime.

Instead of arguing about something we disagree on, I'll have total freedom, but when you give a girl some freedom, she's gonna want her mom.

While I'm writing this, it's the Saturday night before college move-in this Thursday, but by the time you're reading this, chances are I'll be sitting in class.

The reality of this whole situation is finally beginning to really sink in. A week ago I was counting down the days until move-in and now I'm realizing what it'll actually mean.

Don't get me wrong. I'm beyond excited for the great new experiences that are coming, but I'm also a total wreck about the fact that my mom isn't going to be right by my side the entire time to help me through the bad ones.

She has been just as excited for me as I am, if not more, but with my more recent realization and overwhelming emotions, I know she's been worried about me, but who can blame her?

Her first child is leaving to be on her own and is a nervous wreck about it, so why shouldn't she be too? It's totally understandable, but despite my emotions taking over a lot over the past few days, I need her to remember something.

I've grown up with all the love, support,and guidance I could ever ask for, and that means one thing. I'm ready.

Yeah, sure, I'm a total mess right now thinking about leaving you, but when it actually happens, I'm going to have a lot more on my plate, between classes, clubs, and even a social life believe it or not, I will be busy.

I will keep my mind off of what has me worried, and I will call, probably more than you'd like, for that matter, but my point is, despite both of our concerns, things will be okay.

We will both get used to being apart for some time, we will make time for visits and phone calls, we will continue to tag each other in Facebook posts, but most importantly, we will be making things work.

I can still call you and I can still tel you about my awful or amazing day, because I know that distance does not matter and you'll always be there, even if you're not there.

On that note, by the time you read this, chances are I'll be in class, maybe meeting some new friends, or eating lunch in the dining hall, but the point is,I'll be living my life and you'll be living yours as we both take steps forward in our lives, not in opposite directions, but forward.

It'll take some getting used to on both ends, but it will help us grow as people and recognize how grateful we really are when we are able to spend tons of time together.

So predicting how I'll feel in the next week, I'm assuming the freedom is going to be pretty nice, don't get me wrong, but what I know for a fact is that when you give this girl some freedom, she's gonna want her mom.