My mom is my BFF. I seriously mean it, even though it sounds like a total cliché. My mom and I became extremely close while I was in high school and have become even closer – I think – since I’ve started college. I’m pretty lucky to have the mom that I have. With the stress of school, work and relationships, she always knows exactly what to say to bring up my mood. Moving to Tallahassee last fall was pretty tough on both of us. But I think we’ve come up with some pretty great ways to stay close to one another even from hours apart.
First of all, FaceTime is a NECESSITY. My mom was an android lover until a few weeks before I made the move to Tallahassee. She finally switched over to the Apple side just so she could see my face while I was away. Although I had to teach her how to turn her iPhone on, she’s finally (almost) got it figured out. Here’s a quick storytime to elaborate on how important FaceTime (or any video chat service) is:
One night during my first week away, I was starving. I hadn’t eaten all day so around nine o’clock, I was starting to get a little hangry. To solve my hunger crisis, I ordered some Buffalo Wild Wings from GrubHub. I was super stoked when I finally got the call that the delivery driver was downstairs with my 15 mild boneless wings (yes, I know that’s a lot but that’s not the point). When I got my food back upstairs to my dorm room, I soon realized that my order was entirely wrong. Not only did they give me an unsweet tea – a crime in itself – they gave me three containers of mild sauce, and I don’t mean along with my wings. I mean that’s all my meal consisted of—three containers of liquid mild wing sauce. No wings. My hunger took control of my emotions and I was soon holding back tears. I realized the only thing that could get me back to my senses was a FaceTime with my momma and some dry cereal as a snack.
Courtesy: Cheyanne Walker
When she first answered, she panicked at the tears streaming down my face. However, within 30 seconds of the call, she was almost in tears herself from laughing so hard. By the end of the call, my mom had helped me to take back control of my emotions and laugh at the situation. The moral of the story is that without my mom and FaceTime, I probably would have only had tears and dry Froot Loops for dinner that night.
Alongside FaceTime, regular phone calls are extremely important to my mom and me. Sometimes, we aren’t able to go face-to-face, but we can set the phone down and chat. It’s just very refreshing being able to talk to my mom after a long day of class or work. We also text constantly. Whether it’s just sending gifs back and forth for literally hours at a time, sharing pictures of our pups, or having actual conversations, texting my mom is an essential part of my day. Honestly, it’s probably more important than oxygen. If I’m having a rough day and need a laugh, I can count on her to give me that.
Courtesy: Cheyanne Walker
Another really important part of maintaining a close relationship with my mom is our openheartedness. I can’t go a day without telling my mom that I love her. It just feels unnatural. She knows I love and miss her, and I know she feels the same for me. Not only are we open with things like that, but we also confide in one another. I know I can tell her anything and I can be completely straightforward with her, and she can do the same with me. I think this openness is a crucial part of maintaining any sort of long-distance relationship. My mom really is my best friend. Being away from her is pretty difficult sometimes, but thanks to technology and our close bond, it’s almost as if I’m still at home.
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