Once you become a college student, conversations with your parents shift from the dinner table to the phone. While I love frequent phone calls and Skype dates, texting with my parents has become much more common. If you’re like me, one parent isn’t big into the whole technology thing, and the other knows almost more than you do. While Mom is still working on the difference between a group message and an individual text, Dad prides himself on his quick one-liners and comebacks. Here are some of my favorite “Dadisms” from this semester so far.
1. “Do you have time to Skype with your lonely parents tonight?”
Here’s one text that I get at least once a week. Sundays have become weekly Skype nights in our family. Odds are if you’re going to college anywhere away from home, your parents regularly ask to see your face. How much can I change in a couple of months? I’m not really sure. But this text comes in a variety of forms throughout the week, and I have to say I do love our (strictly scheduled in) Skype dates.
2. “Important tip – you need to wear an orange OSU shirt tomorrow to the game. Do not be one of those girls who only wears an orange shirt.”
The day before every home game I get a text from my dad telling me what I need to wear to the football game tomorrow. While I appreciate his spirit, his fashion advice is far below par. Skirts and sandals and necklaces mean nothing to him, only that I’m wearing the brightest orange. Valuable advice, yes. Unfortunately, it is almost followed up with a text like this next one.
3. “Uh, that was NOT football game attire. It is your fault they lost.”
Sorry Dad, the skirt and the sandals won over the orange shirt and cowboy boots. Maybe next game, go pokes.
4. “The only study abroad I’ll support is in Boston.”
I frequently bring up all of the plans I have for the next four years and beyond, and most of them don’t require coming home. If you have similarly big plans, odds are your parents aren’t huge on the idea of studying abroad or working here or there for the summer if it means seeing you less. If you’re a daddy’s girl, odds are your dad is even less thrilled as he realizes that he could be seeing his daughter less and less.
5. “Happy National Coffee Day! Wish you were here so I could buy you a cup of coffee. Please drink a cup out of the Dunkin mug for me.”
Your dad knows all of your favorite things. My dad shares the same love and appreciation for coffee as me, or as some might say “addiction” or “reliance”, however you want to say it. I get frequent texts from Dad bragging about the coffee that he’s drinking. We send lots of pictures of our favorite coffee shops to each other and complain about wobbly coffee shop tables and mediocre coffee. Your dad gets it.
6. “Real fans stay for the whole game.”
Dad is proud of all of the sports knowledge he’s imparted unto me over the last eighteen years. He prepared me well to be able to talk about football, but not so much for hours of standing in Oklahoma heat to watch the games. Sometimes the air-conditioned restaurant across the street wins out, especially if we’re losing. Sorry, Dad.
7. “How many naps did you take today?”
Before I left, my Dad told me that I would grow a new appreciation for naps in college. He was right.
8. “It took me a minute to realize who he was. Then I punched him in the face.”
It’s funny to hear about interactions your family has with your high school friends. Dad is still Dad even when you’re away at college with new friends. And like most dads, he’s pretty much anti-boy.
9. “Best purchase I’ve made in a while: your plane ticket home.”
I think it’s safe to say that Dad is pretty excited for me to come home, as am I. As fun as it is going to school far away, you definitely grow a new appreciation for your family. Until then, I guess random texts from Dad will have to do.
So, to college students everywhere, including myself, don’t forget to text your parents now and then. They miss you more than you know.
