After spending pretty much the entire summer side by side, it was a little harder to head back to college this year. And that's saying something because freshman move-in day was a rough time for everybody involved. So, mom, this one's for you, because I'm missing you a little extra this time around.

I know I'm supposed to be independent and everything, but I kinda wish you were here.

After spending the summer pretty much always in a ten minute radius of you, it's weird for you to be so far away. Now that I know what living on my own is like, and also know what its like to move back under your roof, it was hard to move so far away from my best friend again. I went into this summer eager to get it over with and get back to campus, but as August came to an end, it wasn't quite so eager to move back. That's because this last year taught me a lot about myself, and made me realize that my mom is the best friend I was too dumb to realize I had. I miss ya mama.

Feel free to call me whenever, it sure is a better way to procrastinate than bringing another season on Netflix.

I'm always up for a good ol' dirt session, and I need you to keep me caught up on whatever's happening back home. I know you miss me just as much as I miss you, so call me up even if you don't have anything particularly important to say. I'll always be here to listen, you know that.

Thank you for supporting me, believing in my dreams…and sharing my Odyssey articles every week.

I know a creative writing degree isn't always known for raking in the cash, but that didn't stop you from telling me to go for it. You're the best for encouraging me, even when I'm discouraged and convinced that I suck. Thank you for telling me to get my ass up and go to class even after I've already decided to shut my alarm off and go back to sleep (almost nobody can achieve this, especially when they're not there to roll me out of bed). Thanks for disregarding every comment I make about dropping out (which mostly happens after a failed attempt to park anywhere near my dorm) because you know I'm just being dramatic. Also, big thank you for reminding me that it's alright to say no to people and that I need to eat, sleep, and drink water at some point every day.

Thank you for giving me the perfect example of the kind of person I want to be.

You are the strongest woman I've ever met and because of that, I'd like to say I've become pretty strong too. You've taught me the importance of independence, and that the only way to get what I want is to work for it, and work hard. You helped me see that you don't need another person for happiness but if you find one that makes your heart do that squeezy thing, you shouldn't take them for granted. You helped me learn (after many years of failed attempts) that I shouldn't care about what other people think of me, and I definitely shouldn't let their thoughts dictate my life. Thank you for teaching me not only to set my standards high for myself and for the people in my life, and urging me to do whatever it is that makes me happy. You're an incredible remodel and you're everything I hope to become. Thank you for just being the best mom.

Thank you for being my best friend.

Thank you for being the person I can turn to for anything and everything. Thank you for becoming the best friend I'll ever have, and the only friend I'll ever need. You're the first person I want to talk to whenever something happens in my life. You're the only person that understands most of the crazy things I do. And you're the perfect best friend because you've been with me since the day I was born and I'm so incredibly lucky to have the relationship with you that I do.

Thank you, mom. I love you more and I love you the most.

Chey