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Schools

College Bound: Is This the Beginning of the End?

A Solon mother writes about taking her son to college for the first time

I just dropped my son Nathan off at The College of Wooster.  It’s only an hour from home, close compared to many of his friends, but the distance is really irrelevant. 

The significance of his departure would be the same even if he were many more miles away. 

Going off to college is a monumental rite of passage for parents and kids. It is the next leg of their journey, the next chapter in their personal life book, and all of those other metaphors you’ve heard about at orientation meetings over the past year.

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Oh, and let’s not forget this one: They will never really come home again, even if they are physically under our roofs during breaks and visits. 

So, is this the beginning of the end?  Absolutely not!  Actually, it is the end of the beginning. 

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For the past 17 or 18 years, I have nurtured, disciplined, coached, cajoled, hovered, worried, nursed and loved to the best of my ability, hoping to impart the life skills and characteristics that I believe are important. In the beginning, his options were corraled within my parameters. Now, the opportunities are limitless and the options are his to decide on independently.  

I brought him to the brink, now I hope he’s ready to launch. 

This is not to say that he is completely on his own. Our doors will always be open, and I promise not to convert his bedroom into an office or exercise room or – much to his sister’s dismay – a closet annex. Besides, we are available within seconds via texting, chatting and skyping.  

Deep down in my heart, however, I don’t want him to "come home." I hope he continues doing amazing things – he’s already done more than I ever had the guts to do – and pursuing his dreams and adventures.  I will revel in knowing he’s far outdoing me.

Beginning of the end or end of the beginning?  Both sound a little bit sad, but how can I be sad when he is clearly so happy?

Let’s just say it’s the beginning of the beginning.

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