College isn’t just about majors, grades, and internships. It’s also about growing as an individual, maturing and building strong relationships. One of the greatest gifts that college gives us are best friends. In four years, you become so close to your friends that they start to feel like family. But arguably, the most important relationship that strengthens throughout your four years is between you and your parents. College makes your mom and dad your best friend.
There is nothing like a call from Mom or Dad when you’re having a bad day. No one else will let you vent, cry, or scream for as long as you need without making you feel crazy for doing so. There is no comfort like the comfort a parent can lend. College is full of stress and anxiety and everyone is bound to have a bad day once in a while. A simple pick-me-up text from Mom or Dad can turn even the worst days around. Sometimes all you need is to just hear your parents’ voice to know everything will be okay.
No one will just listen like a parent and then give you the best advice. Being so far from home makes their advice so much more meaningful. Mom and Dad’s harsh advice doesn’t seem so harsh anymore when you’re hundreds of miles away. It makes sense now that you are thrown into the real world. And guess what? The real world can really suck at times, which our parents know all too well. So, the advice they give, whether you like it or not, is always the best and always right. After four years, you begin to see that it really is true, Mom and Dad do know best.
During college, everyone will make mistakes or do something they will regret in a few years. In the meantime Mom and Dad are always there to bail you out, remind you of how foolish you were, and tell you it better never happen again. But, they are also the last to judge and the first to remind you of all you have going for you. They are your biggest cheerleaders during some of your worst times and your best.
Throughout your four years you begin to see just how much you depend on your mom and dad and how much you value them. They are your comfort zones. They are the first people you call with good or bad news. And they are always, always there for you. Their love is unconditional, and sometimes it’s not until you move away that you begin to realize just how much you depend on them. And how they really are your best friends.