If you're lucky enough to have been extremely close to your mom your entire life, I applaud you. You realized early on that your mom really is your built-in best friend. She loves you unconditionally, gives you honest advice, and has more life experiences under her belt than you will ever know (or care to know). The qualities we spend our entire lives looking for in friends our moms already have.

But if you're like me, you were far from realizing this before you got to college. Let's face it: in high school, we thought we knew everything, and our parents were just trying to hold us back from having fun with our friends. Our moms were never teenagers and hadn't gone through anything we were facing in our minds. We couldn't wait to leave for college and get out from under our parent's roof because they just didn't get it.

Funny thing is, I probably said this exact quote at some point during my senior year in high school. Putting it lightly, I, like many other high-schoolers, didn't take the time to really think about the rationale behind my parent's decisions and immediately jumped to conclusions about their parenting that, in hindsight, made absolutely no sense.

Fast forward to the present day, where I have over a year of college experience under my belt and a widely different perspective. The independence that college brings means your mom is less of a parent and more of a sister. This isn't to say she will never tell you what to do again, but it does allow for more open communication that may have been absent in high school. If you haven't already, try talking to your mom about your actual weekend (not a completely edited version where you spent Saturday in the library). Just like your mom is trusting that you've graduated from your years of being a rebellious 17-year-old, give her a chance to show that she won't always treat you like one. Her response may surprise you. And even if you realize that you can't be entirely candid with her right away, give her time to adjust this new openness. After a while, the walls will come down because, in reality, all your mom really wants is to play a part in your life.

Another thing I've learned is that your mom can be one of your major sources for advice but only if you let her be. If you never ask, you'll never give her the opportunity to share her thoughts on an issue that she has most likely already experienced. And while some issues (and their details) should be left for your friends at school, don't underestimate the value of your mom's retrospective view from when she was your age. Even if you don't take her advice, a new perspective on the issue, or just a simple self-confidence boost, could be all you need to work through your problem.

So wherever you are in your relationship with your mom, know that your friendship is what you make of it. The inevitable truth is that there are some people who, for various reasons, aren't afforded the opportunity to have a tight bond with their mom. So if you are lucky enough to have a mom that is already your best friend or could be in the future, start taking advantage of this relationship now. Call her tonight and ask for advice. Establish new traditions that only you two do together. If you work every day to make your independence work for your relationship and not against it, you will end up with an irreplaceable and unfailing best friend who you simply cannot live without.