For 18 years, all I’ve known is my mom. She has fed, clothed, loved and instilled life lessons about adulthood in me, to prepare me for the rest of my life. It’s both exciting and terrifying to think that I will be leaving for Santa Cruz where I will attend university on my own.

Many seniors will be moving out at the end of this school year and their home will change once they go to college. 17 and 18 year old’s will be dorming with other college students and learning how to live as an adult. This is an exciting new chapter in life, as I am one of those students.

However, as the 2021-2022 school year approaches its end, I can’t help but think about what life without my family will look like. For one, mom wouldn’t be able to comfort me when I’m sick if I’m eight hours away. Nor will I be able to witness my sister’s achievements and memorable moments as a high schooler. Then, there’s my grandpa, who I will miss dearly. The thing I will miss most about my family is spending time with them.

I advise other seniors to make the most of the time they have with their families, whether that be with their mom, dad, brother, sister, pet and/or other relatives. Whether that means going to the park to enjoy outside activities and having picnics, to more simple activities like watching a movie together. 

My mom often jokes as to why I couldn’t have applied to colleges closer to home. Understandably so, living close to or at home during my college years would be ideal in terms of finances, considering I would not have to pay for dorms. Along with that, my emotional well-being would be in a good state since I would have the support of my family at home. While this may be true, lessons such as learning how to be an adult have been instilled in me to prepare me to go out on my own and live life from a different perspective. 

By no means does moving away mean I have to experience life alone though. Thankfully, modes of communication like call and text messaging, through applications like Zoom and Google Meets will ensure that I always have a way to communicate with my family. Of course, bonding may be more difficult over the phone, though it will make breaks and visits much more meaningful.

Students expect and prepare for so much so that once they get to college they are set to succeed. However, they are never reminded of the impact of leaving the people they’ve known all their life. Soon I will begin the new chapter of my life where I will start living independently, but it will most definitely not be lonely, with my family supporting me from a distance.