On August 21, 2025 I walked away from him with tears in his eyes. Within an hour, another parent sent me a video of him filming a Tik Tok with his newly made friends. That put my heart at ease although it would become heavy for the next few weeks as I adjusted to his absence.

Before he left for school we made a deal that every Sunday we would talk. That lasted for two weeks. But I’d get texts and calls throughout the week. When he was struggling I’d hear from him more, when he was thriving I could barely track him down. I adapted to the way he needed to communicate and obsessively tracked him on Life360 for my own peace of mind.

This first year went by fast and full.

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

No one knows what to expect the first time they go to college, the first time you send your child off to college. I hoped he’d find his people, that he’d have fun, learn and grow, that he would belong. He had his fair share of insecurity and self-doubt, of the kind of comparison that steals your joy, of skipping too many classes and navigating the consequences. And he had his abundant share of building genuine connections, learning through mistakes and being beautifully stronger for them, of happy tears tinged with sadness and days and days of sunshine.

I had a year of adjustment, of missing him, of feeling gaps, of missed conversations and too few hugs. I had a year of pride as I watched him navigate all the ups and downs, for his self-awareness and accountability, for his vulnerability and growth. And I had the realization that although I would always want him close, I choose for him to be where he is meant.