You’re going to be terrified of your kid doing the sorts of things at 18 (almost 19) that you once did quite easily at 17. 

This is one of the (many) things I’ve learned during my daughter’s freshman year of college, one of the many things that don’t show up in any of those guides to getting your kids into college. 

This time it was handling a solo trip on Amtrak to Penn Station. 

I was living in New York City and attending college at 17, catching trains and buses and handling it all on my own. 

My 18-year-old did just fine on their own too. 

I didn’t need to worry. 

But I’ve learned worrying doesn’t end simply because they no longer rest their head on a pillow in your house. 

There are thousands (millions) of articles on the internet about financial aid and SAT scores. 

Hundreds even about dropping your kid off at college for the very first time — most of which could be sponsored by the Kleenex company. 

But once college has begun, you’re on your own. 

Literally. 

In our first year of empty nesting, we have learned to eagerly anticipate short breaks that will bring our only child back to us and to dread the drive back to campus. 

We’ve learned that some drop-offs are harder than others. 

We’ve learned the breaks will get shorter and shorter as trips with friends shave away bits of time. 

We’ve learned that FaceTime is an invention that may be rated just below the wheel but far, far higher than sliced bread. 

We’ve learned that mysterious items will appear on our Amazon order list and never appear in our home. 

We’ve learned to appreciate every text ... even the ones that are 2 letters long. 

Perhaps best of all, we’ve learned how much our kid can handle on their own ... even if we still worry.