Calling home is a lot like eating your vegetables; sometimes, you really don’t want to, but you do it anyways, and it usually leaves you feeling better than you did before. As someone who talks to her parents on the phone daily, the experience, and the variety of emotions that occur during it, are all too familiar.
STAGE 1: The thought “I should probably call my parents…” crosses the very depths of your mind where you thought only insignificant childhood memories and calc equations resided.
STAGE 2: Because you failed to act on that fleeting thought, your parents call you. Most likely at the most inconvenient time. You’re probably in bed with a guy or sprinting to the class you’re late to because you were busy online shopping.
STAGE 3: Everything starts off as pleasant small talk. You think it’s going great. You think the conversation will be over in no time and you’ll be able to carry on with your rambunctious “grown up” life.
STAGE 4: But then, they start playing 20 questions with you. “How much sleep are you getting? You look so tired and sick. Have you done all your work? When was the last time you ate a vegetable? What did you really do this weekend? Any special men in your life? What’s the haps on campus? Gimme all the gossip.” Answering these questions is like running through a minefield.
STAGE 5: You realize the best way to ease your parents’ minds is to talk about something other than yourself. So you ask them about their day, which opens the floodgates. Crisis averted, and everyone is happy.
STAGE 6: You start saying your goodbyes, which range from “I’m really crunched for time, I gotta go” while you crawl into bed for a nap to exchanging “I love you’s” and “I miss you’s” until one of you hangs up first to your mom shouting out last minute words of advice as you make a last ditch effort to beg for money.
STAGE 7: You probably feel calmer and better about yourself. Let’s face it, while talking to parents can seem stressful in the midst of your busiest days, connecting with home and hearing some familiar voices is always a good choice. You probably made them a lot happier, too.
Bottom line: Call your parents, often.
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