Another one launched…
Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 09:34AM
Perhaps I should be used to the feeling by now. That sense of loss, of concern, of hope, of happiness as a loved one starts their first year of college. Their first year away from home. Their first year on their own. The year that will determine how good a job the parents and grandparents and teachers and Scout masters, and coaches have done in instilling good decision-making skills and values.
At his invitation, I visited my grandson Miles at his school, Missouri State University of Science and Technology, where he is now two months into his freshman year. The visit included a walking tour of the campus, a visit to his dorm room, drives through the town of Rolla, a hike in a local park, and several meals at local restaurants, including Randy’s Roadkill BBQ and Grill. And we managed to squeak in a matinee showing of Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
I could not have had a nicer time. Miles was a very good guide and his good spirits did much to allay my (unwarranted) concerns about his new life. Thanks to good parenting and good schooling, he seems to be thriving in this new environment. At least he looked clean, well-fed and I could detect no needle-tracks on his arms. He feels his decision to get a degree in chemical engineering (in possibly just three years) is a good one.
It seems a bit strange to me that, like some birds, many human families kick their children out of the nest around age 18. Happily, most kids don’t just survive, but thrive when given their independence. Many of us could not wait to get out from under our parents’ thumb and live a life of our own. (I was one of them.) Miles seemed happy at home, but he also seems happy in college. I guess he is just the happy kid he always has been.
Colleges do help cushion that fall from the nest. Housing, meals, student medical service, and financial aid allow kids to focus on classes rather than their bank balance. Sports, fraternities and sororities, clubs, and other activities provide opportunities to build friendships. And today, technology allows these newbies to stay connected with their family back home as well as with friends in other schools.
I have no doubt whatsoever that Miles will make the most of his undergraduate years. This honor student, Eagle Scout, entrepreneur will stay on a positive path. At least I expect so. After all, he and his brother promised that when they became billionaires, they would buy a penthouse apartment in Manhattan where I could live. But no pressure, Miles. I am not packing my bags just yet.
