Stay in touch with home to ease concerns

Almost every day, I receive a loving text message from my mother asking how I'm doing, paired with two to three weekly phone calls with the purpose of checking up on me.

I've talked to several students who are dealing with similar overzealous parents, and they hate it. But I love it. I love that my parents constantly want to know how I am doing.

At times, it feels like I am on another planet, and my life of the past has been completely obliterated. The frequent reminder of home is both comforting and reassuring that everything is going to be OK.

I've witnessed firsthand the classic college freshman who goes crazy once away from the watchful eye of his or her parents. Knowing my parents are still with me electronically is the incentive I need to stay on the right track, keep my studies up and avoid the temptations of college.

Also, knowing that I'm still on the minds of my family is heartening. At times, it feels like I'm completely bereft from their lives; their communication, albeit mostly coming from within a cellphone, reminds me that they are still my family.