Gratitude for the college process

“I hate the college process.” That was the one thing that Olivia, a senior at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, CT, and her mom agreed upon as they bickered throughout our college counseling meeting.

“You should be grateful…. “ I intervened and commenced with one of my regular exhortations on gratitude.

I am a parent of three, one of whom is a senior applying to college. So, I know the stress of applying to college from an experiential as well as a college counseling perspective. Those who know me on a personal level likely find my tendency to preach gratitude insufferable. But if you are simply a fellow Connecticut parent sending your child to college then you can bear with me.

That your high school senior is applying to college is what you dreamt about years ago when your child was a baby. I don’t mean in a literal sense – at least for most of you! – but in a metaphorical sense.

You wanted your child to be physically healthy. That your child is applying to college means that he/she is physically healthy enough to go away to college.

You wanted your child to be psychologically healthy. That your child is applying to college means that he/she is psychologically healthy enough to go away to college.

You wanted your child to grow up to be independent…

You wanted your child to do well enough in school to go to college…

And, the list can continue for all that being able to go to college represents. Be grateful that your child is applying to college.