College

In just a few short months, I will be a college student. As I have been trying to decide where to go, whether it be at home, close to home, or across the country, I have had lots of people tell me I shouldn't stay at home because I need to just have time to myself and be 18 years old, to relax. I help out a lot around my house, and I definitely have a lot of responsibilities as the oldest daughter in a large family. However, if you know me, you probably know that I am perfectly content with my position and responsibilities in my family, and I am definitely not going to college to "relax" and get away from the family responsibilities I have.

I have always been very mature for my age. I think it comes with the big family territory. I have known for years how to wash laundry, cook full meals, clean almost anything, take care of kids, clean up messes, etc... Sometimes I talk to a girl in my classes who has three younger siblings. Even with younger siblings, she doesn't know how to do any of those things. Another one of my friend's knows how to do some of them, but her mom does almost everything for her, even clean her room. Crazy. I don't always enjoy everything I have to do, but I am glad that I know how to and that I was taught from extremely little that I was expected to help in my family (Story: when I was only four years old my mom would have me clean my room by myself. I hated it. She video taped me crying and carrying on for hours about having to clean it, but she always made me finish it.).

I love having a big family and I love that I have learned so many things that most teenagers do not. My parents are (almost always) pretty awesome. When I do go to college, some of the things I will miss most about being home is cooking big huge meals for the family, (imagine being used to cooking meals for ten and then eventually having to cook for only one person, me), teaching Ryan crazy things and getting him SO excited to build a garden this spring, watching Kyan and missing the new baby that is coming, and just being a huge help in this family. However, I will NOT miss mopping floors, cleaning up the boys' pee on the toilets, washing dishes, etc... Those can stay!