Mom: Have you read my blog in which I interviewed Ryanne?
Austin: I have not.
Mom: Do you ever read my blogs?
Austin: I read a few.
Mom: On a scale of one to ten, how much do you share with your mom, ten being everything and one being nothing?
Austin: I have to say a nine.
Mom: A nine???
Austin: I absolutely love talking to you about my life. I mean, there are some things I know I really shouldn’t share.
[both laughing]
Mom: That’s pretty awesome. I feel like you tell me a lot.
Mom: In your opinion, where do you think most eighteen year old boys fall?
Austin: Nowhere near a nine. Most probably fall around a six…or maybe a five.
Mom: How much of the time do eighteen year old boys think about girls? 50% of the time?
[Austin scoffed]
Mom: More than 50% of the time?
Austin: Like 80 to 85% of the time.
Mom: If you had to describe what it’s like to be an eighteen year old boy how would you describe it?
Austin: A LOT of fun, but then stressful.
Mom: What’s stressful?
Austin: High school is not stressful at all, but there’s college and learning new responsibilities. That’s absolutely stressful. I know there are some things I definitely need to learn, some things I’m having trouble learning, and things I can learn over time. It’s stressful looking ahead at colleges and looking at scholarships. Also, saying goodbye to all your friends and trying to get all those last minutes, hours, days and months with them. Being an eighteen year old is stressful, but it’s also a lot of fun.
Mom: What’s fun about being an eighteen year old boy and a senior in high school?
Austin: Hanging out with friends. Not having to worry about the academics of high school too much. The year is almost over. You get to spend time with friends and get to look at colleges.
Mom: So Austin….you have college next year. Are you excited?
Austin: Oh definitely.
Mom: Are you nervous?
Austin: Hmmm…I’m more nervous for the educational aspect, learning in a new environment with professors and in rooms with hundreds of other students. I’m not really nervous to meet new people. I feel like I’ve been better about that, getting out of my comfort zone.
I’m a little nervous to be away from home, but excited at the same time. It will be a really cool experience.
Mom: What I’ve heard about your current high school, is they have prepared you pretty well for the college academics. What might be challenging, though, is accepting that your professors won’t’ check in. It will be up to you to know what you need to do, when it needs to be completed by and then do it.
Mom: How prepared do you feel as an adult for the ‘real world’?
Austin: Hmmm….well, I don’t know if I’m fully prepared yet. I do have a grasp for some things that are vital for surviving in the world. I can get food for myself. I can drive myself places. I know how to navigate. I’ve never taken the bus, but I think I could figure it out.
I do my laundry. I know how to clean, not my room, but….
[Mom laughs]
Mom: So will your room at college be as messy as it is here?
Austin: No. I don’t want it to be. I don’t want my roommate to experience that.
In regards to financial stuff and learning how to spend money, pay bills and filling out paperwork, I haven’t figured that stuff out. All in all I would say I’m not 100% prepared.
Mom: Yeah, but I think even as a 40 year old adult there’s always stuff I still have to learn. I think one of the most important lessons you will need to learn when you are own your own, is to feel comfortable asking for help, no matter what it is. Whether it’s homework, whether it’s how to do something or find something; you need to be comfortable asking for help. Even with your parents telling them, “I need your help learning how to do this.” You have to feel comfortable asking for help.
Mom: The other thing that will be important for you in becoming an adult is learning how to prioritize, knowing what’s important and getting it done. You have to be able to say ‘no’ to the things you really want to do in order to get done what NEEDS to be done.
Mom: When you go to college do you know how you will stay on task and prioritize?
Austin: Hmmmm… I think so.
[Response did not exude confidence.] :)
Austin: I know college is a huge thing, getting that degree. I believe that I will buckle down and take things more seriously than I’ve taken academics my senior year. I feel like I haven’t taken my school work as seriously my senior year as I did my junior and sophomore year.
Mom: I feel like in comparison with many eighteen year olds you are pretty prepared. You are ready. I also think, though, there’s some senioritis that’s coming into play. You want to have fun with your friends, and you still want to be a little irresponsible. Overall, I think you are pretty prepared.
Mom: Will you be upset if we give Milo your bedroom when you go to college?
Austin: No, as long as you kick him out when I come home.
Mom: Will you miss me when you go to college?
Austin: Definitely. I love seeing you every day and talking with you, even when you are mad at me. You are just a reminder that I have people who love and care for me and really want me to be successful.
Mom: I will sure miss you.
[big fat tears]
To be continued.......
Austin: I have not.
Mom: Do you ever read my blogs?
Austin: I read a few.
Mom: On a scale of one to ten, how much do you share with your mom, ten being everything and one being nothing?
Austin: I have to say a nine.
Mom: A nine???
Austin: I absolutely love talking to you about my life. I mean, there are some things I know I really shouldn’t share.
[both laughing]
Mom: That’s pretty awesome. I feel like you tell me a lot.
Mom: In your opinion, where do you think most eighteen year old boys fall?
Austin: Nowhere near a nine. Most probably fall around a six…or maybe a five.
Mom: How much of the time do eighteen year old boys think about girls? 50% of the time?
[Austin scoffed]
Mom: More than 50% of the time?
Austin: Like 80 to 85% of the time.
Mom: If you had to describe what it’s like to be an eighteen year old boy how would you describe it?
Austin: A LOT of fun, but then stressful.
Mom: What’s stressful?
Austin: High school is not stressful at all, but there’s college and learning new responsibilities. That’s absolutely stressful. I know there are some things I definitely need to learn, some things I’m having trouble learning, and things I can learn over time. It’s stressful looking ahead at colleges and looking at scholarships. Also, saying goodbye to all your friends and trying to get all those last minutes, hours, days and months with them. Being an eighteen year old is stressful, but it’s also a lot of fun.
Mom: What’s fun about being an eighteen year old boy and a senior in high school?
Austin: Hanging out with friends. Not having to worry about the academics of high school too much. The year is almost over. You get to spend time with friends and get to look at colleges.
Mom: So Austin….you have college next year. Are you excited?
Austin: Oh definitely.
Mom: Are you nervous?
Austin: Hmmm…I’m more nervous for the educational aspect, learning in a new environment with professors and in rooms with hundreds of other students. I’m not really nervous to meet new people. I feel like I’ve been better about that, getting out of my comfort zone.
I’m a little nervous to be away from home, but excited at the same time. It will be a really cool experience.
Mom: What I’ve heard about your current high school, is they have prepared you pretty well for the college academics. What might be challenging, though, is accepting that your professors won’t’ check in. It will be up to you to know what you need to do, when it needs to be completed by and then do it.
Mom: How prepared do you feel as an adult for the ‘real world’?
Austin: Hmmm….well, I don’t know if I’m fully prepared yet. I do have a grasp for some things that are vital for surviving in the world. I can get food for myself. I can drive myself places. I know how to navigate. I’ve never taken the bus, but I think I could figure it out.
I do my laundry. I know how to clean, not my room, but….
[Mom laughs]
Mom: So will your room at college be as messy as it is here?
Austin: No. I don’t want it to be. I don’t want my roommate to experience that.
In regards to financial stuff and learning how to spend money, pay bills and filling out paperwork, I haven’t figured that stuff out. All in all I would say I’m not 100% prepared.
Mom: Yeah, but I think even as a 40 year old adult there’s always stuff I still have to learn. I think one of the most important lessons you will need to learn when you are own your own, is to feel comfortable asking for help, no matter what it is. Whether it’s homework, whether it’s how to do something or find something; you need to be comfortable asking for help. Even with your parents telling them, “I need your help learning how to do this.” You have to feel comfortable asking for help.
Mom: The other thing that will be important for you in becoming an adult is learning how to prioritize, knowing what’s important and getting it done. You have to be able to say ‘no’ to the things you really want to do in order to get done what NEEDS to be done.
Mom: When you go to college do you know how you will stay on task and prioritize?
Austin: Hmmmm… I think so.
[Response did not exude confidence.] :)
Austin: I know college is a huge thing, getting that degree. I believe that I will buckle down and take things more seriously than I’ve taken academics my senior year. I feel like I haven’t taken my school work as seriously my senior year as I did my junior and sophomore year.
Mom: I feel like in comparison with many eighteen year olds you are pretty prepared. You are ready. I also think, though, there’s some senioritis that’s coming into play. You want to have fun with your friends, and you still want to be a little irresponsible. Overall, I think you are pretty prepared.
Mom: Will you be upset if we give Milo your bedroom when you go to college?
Austin: No, as long as you kick him out when I come home.
Mom: Will you miss me when you go to college?
Austin: Definitely. I love seeing you every day and talking with you, even when you are mad at me. You are just a reminder that I have people who love and care for me and really want me to be successful.
Mom: I will sure miss you.
[big fat tears]
To be continued.......
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