It's almost that time of year again. Everyone is excited to head back to East Lansing for another school year filled with meeting new friends, moving into different apartments or dorms, joining new student orgs, and of course, MSU Football!

Michigan State is one of the best places to go to school by far. Think about that feeling you get when the MSU Football team enters Spartan Stadium. Or, think of the beauty of campus during a crisp, cool fall walk. We all can't forget about the "Go Green, Go White" chant either. Michigan State is also filled with some of the best people you'll ever meet. These special friends are the ones who will most likely be standing up in your wedding someday. With all of this said, it's easy to understand why most of us can barely contain our excitement to head back to EL after each summer.

However, as we load our cars with clothes and boxes to leave for another year, do we really ever take a second to think about how our parents are feeling?

These are the people who have raised us since birth, and quite frankly, done so much for us over the past 18-21-plus years. Because they have worked so hard to provide and care for us, many of us are lucky enough to attend Michigan State. However, do we really take the time to tell our parents that we love them or appreciate all they have done for us?

Although most parents won't show or tell us how they are feeling, we need to recognize that they often experience the same type of separation anxiety as we do during our freshman year up at State. For some, this is their first or only child leaving home after living with them all of their life. Just like us students, it's a HUGE adjustment for many of our parents, too. They get lonely, they miss us, and they want to make sure we are safe.

Even though we often get tired of them nagging us and saying the same things over and over again such as, "Make sure to put on sunscreen" or "Make good choices," they do it because they love us and want the best for us.

So when things get hectic during the semester like when you're out with your friends or joining other clubs, don't ignore those texts from your mom. Don't reject those calls from your dad who simply wants to say "hello." Sometimes parents just want to check in, tell you they love you, or just hear your voice to make sure you're okay.

So as you get ready to head up to school for another jam-packed year of fun at MSU, make sure to tell your parents how much you love them and appreciate what they've done for you.

I made sure I did.