As a proud member of the blended generation, Dad’s Weekend holds a special place in my heart for a few reasons.

First off, Dad’s Weekend was one of the best bonding experiences I’ve had with my stepfather post-high school graduation. Like any American teenager worth their salt, my twin sister and I pushed boundaries. We threw parties, broke curfew, and lied to our parents, which in turn resulted in a fairly tense parent-child relationship.

Needless to say, when we left for school it took a few months for them to miss us. But just when they started to, Dad’s Weekend rolled around. Upon arrival, I could tell something had changed; he either liked or trusted me more. I wasn’t positive of either, but I’m not one to argue with a good thing, so I felt it out.

Over the course of the weekend, we went out together, swapped stories, and talked more like equals than ever before. Being that my stepfather is an alumnus, we had a lot to talk about.

We went to the football game, an auction and out to dinner. They were baby steps, but we stumbled through them together. The weekend wasn’t perfect, but it was heading in the right direction.

I began my transition from child to young adult in his eyes; I had slowly moved into the friend zone that his eldest children had been hanging out in for years.

With project adulthood in motion, I had a moment of clarity of my own. I realized what a gift my stepdad had been throughout our 11-year relationship, and finally resigned from my role as the ignorant, bratty stepchild. I discovered how thankless I had been over the years.

In one weekend, I was able to reflect on our relationship and think about where it was heading. Since then, for every Dad’s Weekend or campus event he has attended, we “consider each other.” We match up the free time in our schedules, and make each other “part of the equation,” as he fondly says.

We have both bonded over our WSU experiences – shared and apart. For me, Dad’s Weekend was the jumping-off point to a much deeper relationship that I might otherwise not have invested in.