I consider my parents my best friends. They are the first people I want to tell good news to and they always know how to make me feel better. Whether it's a belly hurting laughing fit, a warm hug, or a home cooked meal, they both know what I need.

I feel as if parents are taken for granted because as children, we just expect them to act "parent-like" all the time. Throughout my whole life, I’ve always known that my parents did a lot for me. However, now that I am a freshman in college, I realize more and more everyday just how much they actually did for me. I'm not just talking about home cooked meals and doing my laundry (don't get me wrong though, I do miss that), but I am also talking about how they’ve taught me so much about life. It is a shame I am just realizing it now.

Being around my mom and dad constantly for these past eighteen years of my life, I've watched them and learned so much. One thing I learned fast is what true love looks like. True love is letting your wife put her icicle feet on your warm back without making a fuss and going grocery shopping together, even if the Giants are on TV, just solely for the fact that no one has to do it alone. The way my mom and dad look at one another is how I want my husband to look at me one day. I'm so thankful to have seen this growing up because now, I know not to settle for anything less than the love that my parents have for one another.

Aside from teaching me love, they taught me how to prioritize. Anyone who knows me knows for a fact that I get stressed very easily. During those times, my parents have been there to teach me how to eliminate the stress. They have shown me how to prioritize my time in a way where I can get everything I need to get done, done in a way where I am not freaking out. Watching my parents handle their jobs, making dinner, going to my brother’s and I’s sporting events and taking care of loved ones has really showed me ways in which I can handle my time effectively.

It is said that “a smile goes a long way”. This is another great lesson that my parents have taught me. When you smile at someone, you might just make their day because you really don't know what they are going through. I cannot think of a time when my parents are not smiling. They are genuinely happy people and their presence brings anyone to a smile. I learned from them that by being happier and always smiling, you put everyone around you in a better mood and become more approachable to people, which is a very important quality to have.

Finally, one of the most important things my parents have taught me is that they will always be there for me. I learned that with all of my family. Family is everything. If I don’t have my family by my side, I am missing a big piece of my life. Whenever I need something, my whole family is there to lend a helping hand and support me with whatever it is.

All in all, I am so thankful to be taught these lessons about life by such wonderful, caring parents. I will carry these lessons with me always and appreciate them. I smile at the girls on my floor, am able to manage my time in a way where I can get all my homework done at a reasonable hour, hang out with my friends, and go to bed at a normal time. I know that whenever I need something from my family, they will be there in a heartbeat.