Coming to college was liberating. I didn’t have to ask to borrow the car to go places. I didn’t have to ask before having someone over to the house. I could hang out with who I wanted, when I wanted, I could do what I wanted when I wanted. That freedom was great, and it became the norm for me, for my friends, and I assume for most everyone else who left home for school.

I know for myself, coming to college was like coming to a whole new world of freedom. It wasn’t like I was smothered by my parents; They let me do a lot, they didn’t give me insane rules, I don’t even think I had a curfew. Their rules were: keep your grades up, and don’t do anything stupid.

Now that this freedom has become the norm, going home feels unnatural. Permission is needed to go places and explanations are needed to see people. All of a sudden, we go from complete free range of life to having rules to follow again for those weeks or months you’re home on break.

It can be hard to not feel frustration or resentment for not being able to be the wild and crazy college student you are for the majority of your time.

I find most people disrespect their parents more than they should. Myself included. We sass off to them more than other adults, and that’s because they’re family. Especially in high school and the early years of college, it is very normal and expected to be a pain in the ass to our parents.

We need to stop though. No matter how much of your school or life they pay for, our moms and dads deserve so much more than the crap we give them. So show them how much you love them.

It can be so hard to go back home to all those rules, having to explain what you’re doing, not being able to do what you want. Suck it up. Spring break is just a week, the perfect opportunity to test the waters before going home over summer. For those of us who are sophomores, juniors or seniors, we are practiced at this already.

For freshmen, you’re in for quite the shock. Keep yourself in check, use spring break as a chance to learn what your parents expect from you, and let them know how much freedom you might want. Make a compromise, since they will be providing you with food and shelter. A good option is to let them know you’re available to do chores, paperwork and projects during the evenings Sunday through Thursday, but you’d like to be free Friday and Saturday to meet up with old friends or go on weekend trips.

We all owe so much to our parents. Yes, they have rules, yes, they seem to want to smother any fun you want to have. What many of us seem to forget is how much they love us, and how much we need to love them in return.

I did not grow up in a messy family situation. I have a nuclear family, my mom and dad love and respect each other, my sister and I are best friends, and I know I am very lucky for that. So I have very little experience to go off when it comes to messy families. I know that some parents are not in their child’s life. I know some of you grew up with grandparents or aunts and uncles, with friends or in the foster care system.

I do not know what kind of relationship you have with your parents, and so for you, maybe you aren’t going home over spring break to your mom and dad. If you’re not, then extend my advice to whomever takes the place of guardian or superior in your life. Show the people who have cared for you that you appreciate them.

The moral of all this is to be respectful and loving toward your parents. Understand that if you go home over the break, it is your job to follow their rules, as you will be under their care. But your parents were our age once too, so they should understand that you have plans and want to have fun. We’re all adults here, so be sure you act like one, and make sure you’re treated like one. Also, don’t forget to tell your parental units you love them with all your heart and give them a great, big hug.