Researching the Topic

 As I was researching ways to settle into college, I found more topics a long the lines of how to cope with your son or daughter leaving for college. I found this appropriate because as time comes closer to depart for the unknown world, there is one person who is always on my mind, my mom. I am going to be a mess without her, but on the other hand she is going to have lots of trouble as well. I am the last bird out of the nest; leaving my mom all alone.

I found an article on today.com with tips from Michele Borba helping parents deal with this hard transition. She mentions how hard it is going to be but she states in the article, “But this is why you parent — to let your child spread his wings.” This article was intriguing to me. My main interpretation of the article was about how a parent has raised their child for 18 years to teach them how to live on their own.

Instead of crying all day, when you drop your child off, Borba says to celebrate. You have worked this hard to bring your child to this stage, and you deserve to feel accomplished and happy. The article explains not to draw out the goodbye or else it will be harder for you and more embarrassing for the child. I agree with this statement, but of course crying is a natural emotion. It is normal that the parent will feel like part of them is missing.  But Bora states that overtime parent’s become accustomed to the change. Their child is not moving to Timbuktu. Weekend visits, holiday breaks or even just a simple skype call are friendly reminders that you will always have your little baby in your life.

Another topic the article focused on was keeping in touch. Personally, I know I will need to call my mom for lots of little tasks that I will have trouble with. How am I supposed to know what cheap laundry detergent is the best? The advice the article brings is to not be clingy. It is important to let your child know that you are available any time, but don’t always initiate the call.

The general overview I learned from researching this topic is that overtime, all of the kinks will be fixed and a new life will fall into place. As an adult leaves their child to settle in, they soon learn that they are not going to be alone.  Children are not going to act like their parents dropped off the face of the earth. Of course, they will enjoy the increase of freedom but every child will always need their mom and dad.

article- http://www.today.com/id/20387966/#.Uolz6hbNDap

College

Growing up and moving on are two hard concepts to grasp, especially for high school seniors. This is why I chose the topic of the transition from high school to college. This is a broad topic but it is something that is on most seniors’ minds. Having attended the cozy Randolph School for 13 years, I am anxious about my future into college.

I’ll never forget “graduating” from middle school and moving on to big bad high school. Having an older sister, I knew what to expect. Even though I knew I had her by my side I was still worried about high school and being at the bottom of the food chain. For example, me and two other lonely freshmen made the varsity cheerleading squad. It was tough sitting alone on the back of the bus. All the other girls had been friends for years now and did not want to have to deal with annoying freshmen. We would try to talk to the upper classmen but the conversation seemed to be very one sided. I would ask simple questions like “Oh is calculus hard?” and “kinda.” would be my only answer. Eventually we felt accepted and I was able to move on, but that transition was hard and something I will never forget.

If I thought that was hard, college is going to really challenge me. Not knowing anyone at such a big school is a lonely feeling. On the bright side, most everyone feels the same way, or that’s at least that’s what I am hoping.

            Because we can’t predict the future this is a hard topic. Most people don’t even know where they want to go, or if they will get into their dream school. Different questions run through my mind everyday. Who will I room with?  What will I have to let go of? Am I ready to live without my parents support or even whom will I still keep in contact with? Having been with the same students for almost my whole life makes these questions hard.

           

          Some of my friends will end up at the same college, but others might be thousands of miles away. From what I imagine, the first few years we will constantly text, see each other at Randolph football games and make sure to catch up. But as time goes on we will slowly grow up and lose contact with each other and that scares me. I do not want to just catch up with my high school friends’ life via social media. It’s hard to think you have such good friends in high school and they will be gone and a brand new set of friends will be made in college.

    Some days I’m ready to leave and want my fresh start that instant. But other days, I just want to cry. I love senior year and the memories I have created with my class, bonding at get –togethers and supporting each other during the arts or the athletics. I love the relationships I have built and looking back at all of my old Randolph memories. Moving on is going to be hard, and no one truly knows if they are ready.  Journaling will help get my thoughts out of the subconscious and hopefully not worry.