One of the toughest (toughest for me) parts about going to college is moving away from family. Whether it is 15 miles or 1500, the independence you must acquire in college is sometimes difficult to grasp. My family is my support system, and I owe everything I am today to them and especially to my parents for raising me. With that being said, leaving home was not like ripping the band aid off, it was like ripping off a bandage and taking 20 stitches with it. I am sure that, like me, many of you have close relationships with family members and saying goodbye to them will definitely not be easy. Thus, I introduce you to Parent’s Weekend.
Parent’s weekend usually happens around mid October. You will be two months into school, in the middle of taking midterms, and craving to have a taste of home. It is a perfect time to see family because classes begin in August and the first break is not until Thanksgiving. Quick disclaimer: just because it is titled “Parent’s Weekend” does not mean that you can’t have other family members come visit. I had plenty of friends who had brothers, sisters, or even really good friends come to this particular weekend.
My Parent’s Weekend experience was more than I could have hoped for. My parents flew in and I greeted them at the hotel. Of course, there was all of the sappy emotional stuff, but it was a breath of fresh air to be back with the people that I spent my entire life with. The next day, they came to campus to meet me for breakfast and came with me to my intro to aerospace engineering course. After that, I did not have to explain to them why my homework took me so long. That night concluded with a banquet at the frat house and trips to the best local food shops (stay tuned for next blog all about food).
That Saturday was the peak of the weekend. I got to tailgate with my parents and show them the experience that is USC football. The walk to the stadium, kicking the lightpost, cheers at the football game, the lighting of the torch, and of course watching the Trojans win.
The weekend was so amazing and allowed for my parents to live my life at college for a couple days. They put names to the faces of my friends saw all the places that I would talk about, as well as stories to go along with them. Parent’s weekend was a huge refresher for me, and I recommend that you have people close to you to come visit at this time!
