College and mothers and stuff

Sooooo... college is right around the corner. In 28 days, I will be leaving my home and venturing out into the beautiful town of Fort Collins, Colorado to become a CSU Ram.

It's hard to believe that I have been waiting my whole high school career for this very moment, and the fact that it is happening in less than a month is exciting and stressful and bittersweet and terrifying and wonderful all at the same time.
I am the eldest of the family, the first bird to leave the nest, and my mother is taking it extremely hard. I guess it's weird, seeing your kid every day for eighteen whole years and one day, they just up and leave to a whole new place without you. She cries at the mere mention of me leaving. It's so hard because I am so excited to move and start my new life, but she is so heartbroken. I never know how to respond when she breaks down, so I just nervous laugh and assure her that I am not leaving quite yet.
They say it doesn't hit the kids until they are moved in and their parents leave them, which I believe is true. After a week of eating ice cream and Hot Cheetos for every meal and staying up until 3AM doing hoodrat things, I will realize that I miss my mom. Really miss her. I will miss sitting at the dinner table chatting while she cooks, I will miss little Starbucks outings that we have shared, I will miss my laundry magically being clean and folded neatly in my drawers. I will miss having her there to help me out of every little crisis that penetrates my fragile and protected life.
But I guess that this is all part of growing up. It's all completely necessary, I know. Kids have to leave and grow up and get a job and then, eventually, start the cycle with families of their own. I know I will feel exactly how my mother feels when I have a little one leaving to a new place.
So, for now, I will be extra appreciative of the time I have with my mom. I know I will always cherish the time I spend with her, and I hope to one day share the same special bond with my children.