The older I get and the longer it has been since I left home for the first time, the more I realize that my parents are really the best friends I have ever had. Sure, we have our moments where we’d all rather kill each other than spend another second together, but for the most part, the majority of my tears turned laughter or laughter turned tears happened with these two people. I know that we all aren’t blessed with parents that double as disciplinarians and besties, but luckily, I am fortunate enough to have that, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The first trip home after leaving for college was spent trying to see every friend possible and spend as much time with them as I could, with very little time spent at home with the people who love me the most. But as time has gone on, trips home tend to change. On my last trip home, for Mardi Gras, where I usually would have spent the entire weekend with my friends, maybe seeing my parents once, I spent the entire weekend with them, and I can promise you I had way more fun than I ever have before.

This got me thinking. Why does it take us moving out to realize just how great we have it with the people we used to spend 80 percent of our lives with? I think that with moving away we get the perspective that we didn’t have before, when we lived under their roof, because we are able to appreciate them again. We miss things our mom used to do that annoyed us to high heaven. We miss our parents asking a million questions because they just want to know a little more about what’s going on in our lives. Now, I find myself calling my mom and talking to her about anything and everything going on in my life, just like I would call my best friend to vent or gush, whichever the situation may call for, for hours. It really hit me when my parents picked me up from downtown on their way home and the 20 minute car ride ended up being way more fun than the hour and a half spent in a crowded place filled with annoying, rowdy people.

With the count down to 21 approaching fast, I can’t help but get one thought out of my head: “how fun is it going to be to be able to go out with my parents?” I mean, sure, going out with friends is fun and all, but half of the time, my parents have way more fun than I think I ever could, and being able to do those things with them will literally be the hardest part about waiting another 365 days.

So to all of you high schoolers who don’t appreciate your parents right now and all of you college students who haven’t made this realization yet, try your hardest to appreciate the little things your parents do, annoying or not. They truly are the best friends we will ever have. Think about it this way: they have to love us. Like, they actually have no choice. What better friend than one that will love you unconditionally, no matter how many times you scream at them or ignore them? Your parents are the ones that are going to call you back after a 30 minute angry phone call with another 30 minute phone call asking if you need anything and saying they love you, because that’s just what they do. If you are lucky enough to have parents like this, give them a break next time they’re annoying the stew out of you, and remember how much they do for you and how much they truly love you.