Empty Nest Syndrome.

For the college students who do not understand why their mother calls them 20 times a day:

Here’s why.

1. They want to know your schedule. In high school, it was easy. They knew you went to school around eight and they knew you'd be home by three unless you had activities after school which your parents already knew about thanks to the school PTA, or some form of PTA, like a school or function Facebook page. This made life easy for them. But now they don't usually know your schedule thanks to night classes and classes that meet at odd times. Plus, knowing your schedule will calm your parents nerves because they can know where you are and know whether you are safe in bed or just in class. Knowing where you are or if you're safe is one of their top priorities as a parent.

2. Answer your stinking phone. If you can't, then call them back immediately because they go into this panic mode that sets off their parent radar. They think something bad has happened like a wreck or that you have been kidnapped. Just a simple phone call will settle their nerves. So next time your mother or father calls you and you are with a group of friends, just excuse yourself and talk to them for a few minutes. It's not like it will hurt anything. But first, send them your schedule so they do not call when you are in class, or worse, taking a shower. Pick a scheduled time to talk or better yet, FaceTime. Stick to it!

3. Send your parents some pictures. They miss your face and voice so much, especially if you are an only child. They are so used to seeing you and talking to you every day. They miss your laugh, and yes, they miss when you get an attitude with them. It's part of who you are and they just plain miss it. So send her a group selfie of you and your friends or take some silly selfie with landmarks around your school, maybe even send them a picture of you and your mascot.

4. Girls, do not take your mother's things with you to college. I.e. Make-up brushes, hair brushes, tweezers, combs and hair clips. I made the mistake of taking a hair brush that my mother used every day. I got a call about two weeks into school and she was wondering where it was. I was so used to using it that I packed it up with my stuff. You may be used to using it just like they are and when you are gone, so is their hair brush.

5.Please tell them what you are eating every day or close to it.When you are home they can see what you are eating and can tell you to eat more vegetables. They worry, especially moms, about whether you are eating enough or not or whether you are eating the right kind of foods. One night I had ice cream for dinner, I haven't told my mom yet about that one, sorry mom!

6. Just go ahead and realize they are going to want to know every single detail about your new friends. When you were living at home, you could bring your friends home but now that you are in college, you can't do that as easily. When you live at home your mother could tell, mother’s intuition, if they were going to be a good friend or not. When you were in high school you could go and hang out at their house and your parents probably knew their parents, but not anymore. Tell your parents about your new friends and even how you met them; they love that kind of stuff.

7. Try to be more understanding. They are just as scared of you leaving for college as you are. They are scared that nobody is there to tell you to pick up your room, take your vitamins, to schedule your appointments, or even to put tea bags in your stinky shoes. They want to make sure you are brushing your teeth every day and eating breakfast. Being a parent is their specialty and we need to understand that. You may not think this but being a parent is probably their favorite thing and they would do anything for us.

All in all, if we as college students could do these few things a little more then our parents wouldn't worry us as much or call us 20 times a day. But, if we are going to be honest I love my mom calling me as much as she does because it really shows just how much she loves me.