As a junior, I figured I would no longer miss my Mom and Dad when I went back to college. Sure, many things have changed by this point in my college career: I am incredibly comfortable and secure with my friends, I am confident in my presence and involvement on campus, and I have settled in a major. However, despite my comfort in college, I still miss my parents and their presence in my life.

My Mom and Dad are my people; so it’s perfectly natural for me, and any other college student, no matter how old, to miss their parents. After spending eighteen years under their roof and under their guidance, I’ve grown to love (and occasionally annoyed by) their quirky personalities. My days are not the same without my Mom’s strong, slightly crazy presence running around everywhere from work, to the store, to all of my brother’s sporting events. And no matter how much they make me cringe, I miss my Dad’s stupid jokes and sayings. They are such important, involved figures in my life that I share so much in common with that I can’t help but miss their input in my days. Even though I’m a twenty year old woman I can’t imagine ever not talking to my parents and making them hear about my life, or in turn getting to stay up to date with their lives.

We are told that when we go to college we are supposed to become independent individuals, and I completely agree with that in most senses. However, just because I no longer live with and rely upon my parents everyday doesn’t mean I want to ever be emotionally independent from them. They raised me to be strong and independent, but also to value my family and keep family as one of the most important parts of my life. For me, the only way I know how to show love and respect is to keep connected and try not to neglect them, no matter how busy I am. Talking to my parents gives me comfort; it reminds me of where I came from and what matters most to me.

The best part of being away from my parents is that it gives me the opportunity to miss them and appreciate them for all that they do. When I lived with them year round, and even when I come home on breaks my parents can drive me absolutely crazy and I can start to take them for granted. However, being away from them reminds me that I am blessed. Not everyone is lucky enough to have two amazing, supportive, and unique parents. Spending time with them all the time can make me forget how special they are and how blessed I really am. So, no matter how old I get, I will never feel too old to miss my parents. They will always be my people; they are responsible for who I am today and I owe them everything. So the least I can do is give them a call.