My mother, my father, my brother, my grandmother, aunts and uncles and various family friends will have no problem letting anyone know keeping in touch with everyone back home is not my strong suit. Object permanence, the ability to remember something exists even when it cannot be observed, is a mental function developed as an infant. I must have gotten a C- in that developmental step. I very easily get wrapped up in whatever is in front of me, forgetting about the world around me, particularly those who care about me the most. As much as I try to stay in touch, life in Ashland drags me in.

That’s why I always get excited for this weekend, family weekend. This year in particular will be an exciting one. I have an apartment, so my brother, who will come down Friday, has a real place to sleep. Not to mention he is a culinary student, so eating will be good in apartment 101B. 

Then Saturday, my parents will come down and get to see the first time I do color commentary for a televised football game. They will get to see what I do in Ashland, see what distracts me and drains my time. 

Bringing my family to college is a great experience. It allows the community I have become a part of meet the people who guided me to this point, and are still guiding where I go from here. It let’s communities separated by an hour begin to blend together. It gives my parents an understanding of what I do with my time here at AU, and it gives the people I’ve met an AU an understanding of where I’ve come from. 

My parents are outstanding people. I can confidently say I would not be who I am without them. Yet as I’ve aged, the active role they have in shaping who I am has faded. I don’t get every meal home cooked, they don’t schedule my life and I am at least somewhat responsible for my own finances. None of these things are particularly pleasant, but they are reality. However, doing little things like hosting my parents for family weekend help to blend the family and the community most responsible for making me the best version of myself. College is a big step, but it is just that. A step should not be a break from the past, just another step. As bad as I am at keeping in touch, family weekend does wonders for keeping my parents on this wonderful college journey with me. Have a good weekend, everybody!