I was one of those kids who matured really fast. As great as it is to be mature and have the ability to hold serious conversations with people who were a lot older than me, being more mature than my age group has made it a little hard to make friends. But no matter how many friend groups didn't work out or how many events I wasn't invited to, my parents have been there through it all. Not just because they had to be, but because they wanted to be. My parents are always the first people to congratulate me and the first people to be there when I need a shoulder to cry on. They're my two biggest motivators in life, but they're also the worst people to disappoint just because they mean so much to me.

Honestly, I'd rather hang out with my parents and watch a movie on a Friday night than go to a party. Call that weird if you want, but I'm totally fine with it. I tell my parents everything. They're my go-to people for advice about school, my relationship or life in general. I probably text my parents more than I text my boyfriend (although they don't always like to answer). Whether it be going to see a movie, going out to lunch, working out, or shopping, my parents are literally my favorite people to hang out with. A lot of that can be attributed to the fact that when I'm with them, they treat me like an adult instead of their teenage daughter.

A lot of people ask why I'm so close to my parents because that's not "typical" of someone my age. When I was growing up, my dad, a firefighter, was constantly on shift work, so I didn't get to see him every day when he got home from work. I got to see him when he got home from a day or two-long shift. My mom, who works for a U.S. defense contractor, has had to travel almost constantly since I was 10, sometimes being gone for as long as five weeks overseas at a time.

Not having the luxury of getting to see my parents whenever I wanted has made them that much more important to me. I began to realize that my parents are really awesome people, and I wanted to cherish every single moment I had with them.

I'm incredibly grateful to be close to my parents, especially because so many people never get the opportunity to have that relationship. My parents are truly my two best friends and they mean the absolute world to me.