For many parents, this weekend just gone will have seen some incredibly mixed emotions - as what was once their babe in arms transitioned to a fully grown university fresher.
Much like the main protagonist in many a fairytale, my youngest set off to seek her fortunes in London town. Not surprisingly, given my own career, she has set her sights on musical theatre and I cannot wait to see how far this next step takes her.
The house is now definitely a little quieter, also a little tidier. And, I can’t help but feel a little empty. I’m incredibly lucky that she’s found her feet and my other daughter is studying for her degree at home - alongside being an incredibly successful young entrepreneur - so there’s still lots of life within these four walls.
But, change is difficult, isn’t it? Changing seasons, changing work flows, changing priorities. Not everything is life is a constant, and we learn to adapt and change with it.
Not an empty nest, not quite yet, but sometimes, you have to let things go and have faith that things will turn out ok.
For anyone else going through the same, I feel you. The way I’m trying to see things, it’s just a transition to a new way of doing things.
Change requires a new mindset and a reset. Focusing on the constants helps and, as predictable as it sounds, taking each day as it comes is a priority.
So, to parents of new uni students, don’t despair; they’ll soon be back home with a heap of washing and hopefully their eyes full of hope and stories of new adventures.