38 | THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAN WWW.KANSAN.COM | BACK TO SCHOOL | MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2007
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
》 MOVING OUT
Parents sometimes have a hard time letting go of their children and accepting their departures.
Parents, students alike suffer from woes of independence
Help make the transition easier with these tips
BY LAURA EVERS editor@kansan.com
Growing up, I had a great relationship with my mom. I looked forward to coming home from school and telling her about my day. She listened intently as I went into detail about boys I thought were cute and why my best friend was making me mad. She was my rock and in many ways I was hers. I felt that I couldn't make a decision without her by my side and always knew everything would be OK as long as she was in my life. And then... I went to college.
The struggle for independence
Before college, I never planned on pulling away from my parents. They were who I turned to for comfort and were always my best supporters. But once I arrived at KU, I felt I needed to branch out and do things on my own. I wanted them in my life, but I needed room to grow as an adult.
Some of us struggle to gain independence from our parents when we first come to college. Whether it be doing our own laundry or paying bills, we gradually become adults. Although learning to be independent is important, it often causes families distress when we return home during the school year.
Because students become more responsible and self-sufficient while away at school, they are often faced with the challenge of re-introducing themselves to their parents when they arrive home, says Andra Medea, author of Going Home
SEE PARENTS ON PAGE 39
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
The introduction to college can be overwhelming with all the options of a newly-opened social life.