Guest Post – Letter to a College-Bound Daughter

Letter to a College-Bound Daughter
- We will miss you! Yes I said that, we will miss you. I know in the
last coupleseventeen years I have been threatening the Big Red School Bus will take you away, or I will dig that hole in the back yard and bury you in it. This last year you have been fun to hang with and be around, funny how that works out isn’t it.
- Oh also you will miss us. Yes you will, and that is NORMAL and OK. Call us and we can talk about it, and talk you through it. Remember this is a passing feeling, and it will pass. You will be able to move on. Best thing to do with this is STAY BUSY!! It’s called homesick, and yes I know you couldn’t wait to leave and now you want to come home. No, stick it out you will survive.
- You hunted high and low for the RIGHT school for YOU. BE YOUR SELF! You are the priority, then school, work, friends, and whatever else. Oh we are right between you and school if you are wondering
Grow, learn, understand but don’t change yourself to fit in… You rock at being you, don’t try to rock at being someone else it doesn’t work.
- Go out and meet new people, find them in the places that interest you like the English Department or Drama/Theater Department. Give them you, and treat them how you would like to be treated. I don’t really need to say anything more on this one as you are a GREAT friend.
- Do NOT give people your time or heart if they are not deserving. Remember some people suck, and don’t let them have the power to suck the life out of you.
- Get INVOLVED. Don’t hole up in your dorm reading. I know, I know you love to read, you are an English/Creative Writing major, get out there and experience life. Go to the Poetry slams, go to the theater, engage with like minded people. Go have FUN!
- YOU ARE 18. Need I say more? You are NOT 21!!! Drinking age is 21, those underage drinking tickets are expensive, you could be asked to leave the dorms, you could be asked to attend and pay for Rehab classes!!! Dude be smart, I know you can be, you got into college
- On that note when you are at a party, don’t put your cup of WATER down! Don’t leave it unattended. It’s not a myth, or fable. It’s real, and it’s not funny. Be AWARE of your surroundings, there are bad people at college too. PS I am serious on this one mate.
- Give 110%. To all of it, enjoy it. Take the time to appreciate it all.
- Try to get up one morning a week, grab a cup of coffee or tea and ENJOY the moment. Try!
- Find a
slob, untidy, messy, not picking up,free spirit room mate like yourself. If you can’t find that roommate, put a big line of YELLOW tape down the middle of your room and RESPECT IT!
- For years I have been telling you that there are no laundry fairies, and now you will find out for yourself. The room at the end of the hallway with the big white machines in them is the WASHING MACHINES and DRYERS. Follow the instructions that I have given you and put your clothes and one of the laundry pods in there. Give it 45 to 55 minutes and you will have washed clothes, then put them in the dryer with the dryer sheets. Another 55 minutes later you will have clean clothes. You have to do this at least once a WEEK!!!
- Don’t be like your father who when he was in college used the sniff test. I was mortified when I found that out. Ewwwww.
- Eat right. You run, and exercise in high school each day. You get to college you do the same as you are on a team, I won’t be there to give you the food you need. So choose well and eat right. Eat your protein and greens…. Just do it. OK!
- I know I said get up and go for coffee once a week, for the love of all that is HOLY DO NOT SIGN UP FOR EARLY MORNING CLASSES. Just don’t do it, we ALL know you can’t do it. There aren’t enough alarm clocks, just DON’T!!!
- Remember that you want to be in the publishing field. SOCIAL MEDIA will HAUNT you. Just think about this, Grandma follows you. Enough said, I don’t want or need a call from her telling me what you are up to. Also future employers will not hire you if it is out there for all to see. Don’t make me come out there and dig a hole
OK.
- Be true and honest with everything. I have told you this countless times, you are given a free integrity. It is CLEAN, keep it that way. It is all that you are given for free and it is easy to keep. Be true and honest, and you will always have your integrity.
- You know what our family motto is “Work hard, play hard.” You know we put in many hours and many days in order to be able to travel, scuba, ATV, snowboard, horse ride or what ever else. Your job out there is to work hard in and out of class. Do that homework well and hand it in early or if not early ON TIME!!!
- Remember that time dad handed in a 15 page paper one minute late, the professor threw it in the garbage can right in front of him. He got a 0. I can’t call your teacher/professor on that one mate, or anything. This is your thing now, you have to do it, on your own. You have been doing it, now just keep it up buddy.
- Ok serious one here….. You are 18. So when you are uncertain of a decision that you are about to make, put this front and center of your brain… You are 18 and we can’t fix everything with a phone call. You will be tried as an adult. Make SMART decisions, again you got into college, you are smart.
- Going along those lines of you are smart, the Bookstore is the most expensive store on campus. GO TO WALMART!!! Actually the bookstore is the last resort.
- Call us and check in with us. Again don’t make me get on a plane and come hunt you down. I love texting with you, but I will want to hear your voice, and so will dad. So yes that cell phone can be used to make a call. I know, I know, amazballs….. And no we didn’t pay extra for that, it has always been that way
- Dad says give him a heads up and he will Skype with you at the local coffee shop. He is going to really miss those coffee house talks mate.
- Another seriously one here….. Don’t go anywhere alone, or somewhere without someone knowing where you are going. It’s not like home where they care about you coming back
sometimes. Also don’t leave your friend somewhere alone. If you and a friend go out together, stay together, and leave together. THAT ONE I AM SERIOUS ABOUT.
- Do not leave uneaten, partially eaten, or whatever food, in your dorm room. MICE. Or other things will start to invade that small space. That is just Ewwwwwww.
- Always have that emergency $20.00 on you. Always, and if you use it, replace it! PS it’s for emergency’s and Starbucks is NOT an emergency. Or Panera…
- Remember we LOVE YOU!!!!
- Your room will always be here, well a version of it anyways, your sister is already redecorating it and installing shelves for her horse collection. There is the basement. I’m kidding, it will always be here for you.
We are going to miss you so much kiddo, but I know that you are going to do amazing things with your life. You have chosen a great city in which to start this amazing life of yours.
Here are some other posts you may enjoy:
Dealing with Adult Children Living at Home
4 Tips to Help Adult Kids Manage Their Money
Financial Tips To Help Your Future College Student
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Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
I loved this post!! It reminded me so much of my mom’s letter to me when I went off to college. I wish I had paid it more attention than I did. Great post!
I think that’s the problem. Kids this age are just so anxious to get started, they make all kinds of mistakes. I think we all did too. I think that’s why parents get so nervous about sending kids off to do their own thing. But hopefully they all turn out good in the end.
That was very thoughtful and downright hilarious letter. Good luck to her and from everything I read I have no doubt she will succeed.
Thanks! Yes, I thought Ray did a great job. I’m hoping her daughter will end up doing a great job in college. Thanks for stopping by!
I love this! So cute and sweet. I’ll have to keep this in mind for when I have a daughter. I bet my mom felt all the same things when I was graduating. How time flies!
Yes, I thought Ray did a great job on the post. I think it’s really hard for parents to send their kids off so far away and have them be on their own.
YES. To all of the above, and I’m still laughing about the “grandma follows you” comment. Facebook tells all and grandma sees it all (I’m still coming to grips with the fact that our mothers are on facebook, how the heck did they even figure out how to do that).
This is great. Seriously, so many things I needed to say to my kid that I didn’t. Especially about the laundry. And emergency $20.00? How I wish we hadn’t given our oldest our credit card. She thought the perfume counter at Macy’s with BFF counted as an emergency. Live and learn.
From a mom that has sent four to college, with 3 still in college and one that finally graduated but wants to go back to college. ;/
Isn’t that an awesome guest post? I never had my kids go off to college either so I can’t imagine having them managing completely on their own from such a young age! My 17 year old can barely manage to take the trash out properly. I couldn’t bear to inflict him on a college room mate. We’re looking at Community College for that one and then we’ll see. I can’t imagine having four kids in college. That is quite an achievement!
I know. I should have thought that through and spaced them out a bit more when I was having babies.
Anyway, sent you a comment about your meet and greet, but it looks like it’s still awaiting confirmation? I’m wondering if there’s something wrong on my end – like my computer…eek. I thought it was a great idea and hope to join the fun! Thanks for the instagram follow, by the way!
Yes, I feel sorry for the parents who have several kids in college at once. Even one is terrifically expensive. Sorry about the comments, I’ve been away from my computer all day – church, then my son had his final approval session for his Eagle Project, then lunch, then meeting with another Scout in the afternoon to finish up a merit badge – even my Sundays are crazy busy sometimes. Thanks for all your support!
Great advice! My daughters stayed at home while they went to college. I would have been a mess if they had been far away.
Mine did too. My stepson lives far away, but my middle son and his wife live less than a mile away and that’s exactly the way I LIKE it. My youngest son was talking about moving to Seattle with his girlfriend when he turns 18 and I think my heart about stopped! Fortunately, it’s a year away and a lot can change between now and then, including the girlfriend status…