My daughter’s first year of college is officially over. I can breathe until she goes back. I don’t have to worry anymore for now. I was really worried for her honestly. But who wouldn’t be when their children leave home for the first time. You can get so caught up in the move, from boxing everything up to hiring moving companies like Atlanta movers or something similar to it (maybe you did it all yourself), whatever goes on you’re on high alert and then they leave and all those emotions come flooding in. I think I was scared for her more because she was my first baby to leave the nest. Also because I have never experienced college so because of that all I knew of college is what I have seen on television. Of course I knew that what I saw on tv wasn’t necessarily true. But also I have heard true horror stories of people being harmed and everything else on the news. The last story I saw was a young woman was made sick by her roommate. The roommate wanted her to leave simply because she was black. I mean it was just horrible. So I had to push all of these thoughts out of my head and realize this may not be her experience. Well I prayed it wasn’t.
I also had some other worries. My daughter is not the most outgoing person. She likes to be comfortable. She also had never really been away from home. She wasn’t the child to spend the night at friends’ houses growing up and she really didn’t go out. She actually just started hanging out with friends the few months before she left. I guess she figured she was going to college so she might as well start now. Before then she hung out with friends here and there but not often. So yeah I worried about her making friends. So I thought, maybe living in a student housing community (click here to learn more) near the university would help her make friends. God, why was this on my mind so much? I worried about her just like any parent worries about their child. I wouldn’t be there to help her with anything. She would have to do everything herself. Again, I don’t think most of this would be much of an issue had I experienced it myself. I really did know she would be okay though that I would have to let her figure things out. I encouraged her to enjoy college though. Not everyone has that chance to go to college so not knowing can be hard on parents. Education is all around us but many are not able to access these higher levels of education, luckily they are able to take part in online training nowadays as things have moved forward, and people are able to gather the skills they may have missed out on years ago.
But my baby girl proved me wrong. She did great her first year. There were of course a few hiccups along the way. She figured those things out. What she couldn’t figure out she knew that her dad and I were just a phone call away. I learned to trust her and she learned to trust herself. She definitely made the most of her college experience within her comfort. She didn’t go to any wild parties. She didn’t go crazy like most kids would have. She did share some interesting stories about different people. I was like thank god it wasn’t her. I did try to push her to be more active in college meaning join clubs and get involved on campus but I had to realize she would do everything in her own time. I think I was trying to force her to do what I would’ve done. Once I stepped back and let her have her own experience I was able to see she was really enjoying herself. That she really was enjoying college and she was okay.
I have learned so much about her and myself since she went to college. She is fully capable of taking care of herself. She is a strong young woman. I need to give her more credit than I gave her before. Her dad and I have raised her to the best of our abilities and all we can do is let go and provide guidance. She knows when to ask for help. I am glad to have her home.
Now I am saying all of this for her right now but I will probably be acting the same exact way when my son goes of to college. He will be a senior next year. I don’t think the worry will ever go away. I just know when she goes back to school it will be a little easier this coming August.
