Member-only story
Why Sending That Last Kid Off to College Hurts the Most
And a few observations about boys vs. girls in terms of preparing for school.
Goodbyes are terrible. Especially long ones. But I’ve just survived another college move-in day — barely I must add.
This particular send-off has been the toughest as now our nest is empty. For years, our house has been the center of endless activity. The vibrancy of having three children brought boundless energy into our home, and the revolving door of their friends in and out of our basement, our backyard, and our fridge has come to an abrupt halt.
I’m mourning the loss of it all and have a serious case of ENS (Empty Nest Syndrome)—worse than any PMS I’ve ever experienced).
I’ve found comfort in reading other online pieces about letting go as your kids fly the coop — many of my fellow writers have figured out a way to read my mind. It’s shocking how similar many of our journeys are, and I’m grateful to read that I’m not alone in struggling through the range of emotions I’m feeling right now.
Despite the parallels leading up to a college drop-off, there have been plenty of unique differences — even within my own family. I’m not sure whether these differences fall along gender lines, or…
