Sending Your Student to College - Seeing the Bright Side

As you drop your student off for college, and then return to your empty nest, you may be thinking mostly about how much you’ll miss him.  You may be worrying about how quiet the house will seem without him. 

Yes, you will miss your student.  And, although you may not believe it as you return to your empty (or at least emptier) house, you will get used to having your student away.  But there really are some advantages to moving your college student out of the house and away to school.

We’d like to offer a slightly light-hearted reminder that there is an upside to sending your student away to college.

• Your mountains of laundry may suddenly become molehills.  Once you’ve finished laundering all of the piles of things she left on the floor of her room when she packed, your loads may be lighter – at least until the first college break.
• There will be fewer pairs of shoes left in every imaginable corner of the house.
• There will be fewer piles of dirty dishes in the sink each evening – and morning – and afternoon.
• Your water bill may plummet.
• Your food bill may be reduced by a decimal place.
• You won’t need to live in the midst of the tension each time your student has a test or project due at school. 
• You won’t need to worry about curfews.
• You’ll be driving fewer carpools.
• You’ll save cash on all of those lesson fees, activity fees, prom fees, senior fees, application fees.
•  You’ll reclaim your evenings and weekends from PTO meetings, athletic events, concerts, awards banquets, planning committee meetings.
• Your car will use a lot less gas. 

Sending your student off to college is a life transition for both you and for your student.  There will certainly be times for you to miss him and for him to wish he was back home.  Keep everything in perspective and enjoy the little bonuses that sending him off has provided for you.