It’s been a solid week since I dropped my daughter off at college. I’ve only now been emotionally ready to write something about it.
When my parents dropped me off at Syracuse University, it never occurred to me for a second that they might be experiencing any emotion whatsoever. I love my parents dearly, but I honestly didn’t consider them or their feelings at all. To be honest, I could be kind of a pain as a teen, so they were probably high-fiving each other all the way home on the New York State Thruway.
My daughter’s college drop-off has been something I’ve been dreading for the past several years. We’re kind of two peas in a pod. We both like the same geeky things. We binge the same shows, tour the same museums and have the same sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoy spending time with her.
I’m usually a pretty easygoing guy, but as we drew closer to drop-off day my anxiety began to build exponentially. As the countdown chipped away to weeks, and then days, my goal was to not embarrass my family. I visited Sunglass Hut in the Dartmouth Mall and invested in a good pair of shades.
When we pulled onto campus, we were met at the dorm by an army of upperclassmen who had all of her…
