When July hits, it means it’s almost time for summer to end and a new chapter to start for some of our class of 2026 graduates. A ton of people are running around buying last minute dorm necessities, packing up, and meeting new people. One thing I think lots of us don’t consider is how emotional of a time this is for our parents.
My mom said it was a mix of excitement and sadness, “I’m very excited because you’ve achieved everything you want to achieve… and then there’s the sad part of it is that you’re leaving.” She explained that it’s hard watching someone you care about leave, but also really rewarding seeing them reach their goals. That is a great way to put it, I’ve even felt this way about my friends.
When I asked her what the hardest part about preparing for me to go to college was, she said something that I’m sure is relatable to tons of other parents, and even us as rising freshman. She said, “from the moment someone’s born, you realize you only have so many days until they leave. Then all of a sudden, you’re on a countdown that’s like monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly. And then it happens.” It hit me when she said this because the anticipation has definitely been one of the hardest parts.
A lot of our parents are having strong feelings just like mine, but they have thoughts that overcome them. Just like my mom said, “You knew what you wanted and you worked hard for it.” I can say on behalf of the class of 26’, as a fellow member, that we did indeed all work hard to get where we are going. It makes it exciting knowing that our hard work is paying off.
While the parents are going through the feels of letting us go, the class of 25’ didn’t see their year as all that bad. I got insight from my boyfriend, Brayden Lucas who just finished his first year of college at Georgia Southern after graduating from Lakeside in 25’. He did explain that before starting he was, “very much so nervous,” naturally. He said that the hardest part for him though was just having to make his own schedule and keeping everything organized. Even though the beginning was a bit of an adjustment, there were good times too.
He claimed his favorite part of his first year was, “definitely the freedom.” He then made a statement that kind of contradicted that statement. When I asked him what his advice would be for any students about to go to college he said, “don’t get too comfortable with the freedom.” Most of us have never experienced getting to decide when we wake up, or whether or not we go to class. It will now be up to us to decide those things and if we don’t choose wisely, the results won’t be pretty. So it’s recommended that you make good choices, and go to classes!
Seeing both sides shows how different the transition can be. Parents are learning to let go of us, while we learn to grow on our own. Even though it may feel stressful or emotional at times, this is a milestone moment for everyone involved. Congratulations, and good luck on your future endeavors class of 2026. You’re next 27’!
