I’m guilty of it, you’re guilty of it, let’s just get it out there: sometimes we ignore our families. College is often filled with lots of studying and partying, so yeah, we might forget to respond to Mom’s text asking how things are going. You might be in the middle of a club meeting when your aunt calls asking for an update. It’s okay to have a delayed response. But just remember why they’re reaching out.
I live relatively close to campus compared to out-of-state friends, but this past month I realized I hadn’t been home or really even talked to my family at all. I got caught up in the quick pace of school and only had to go home after a health issue came up. Going home made me more aware that we can forget that the people we’ve been living with for 18+ years also have to adjust to a new life.
They have new rhythms too. They may have moved the chocolate to a different place in the pantry or decided that they now go to the movies once a week. But in the end, they still miss you and care about you even when you’re not physically near them. I didn’t think about how my technological presence could be the way they try and keep me in their new schedule.
Of course, there’s also the added benefit of being about to see your pets when you go home and getting home cooked meals. But even if you can’t go all the way home, try and remember to FaceTime them. Even just shooting them a quick text updating them on your day is often appreciated. After they’ve supported you for so long and got you to college in the first place, they deserve some information on how it’s going.
And to be honest, it might not always be going great. But seeing your failures isn’t new to your family, I’m sorry to say. They’ve seen you through at least 14 years of school already so you shouldn’t be afraid to talk to them about issues that you’re having. They went through this stage in life too and I doubt every day could be summed up in “It’s going well, Mom”.
In the end, home is where a key part of your support system might be. So, don’t forget about them. Send a text, a funny picture, call them. It’s really up to you. Just remember that they’re on the other end waiting.
Images Courtesy of umich.edu and pinterest.com