You probably aren’t calling your mom enough

Here at the Oredigger, we like to claim we give good advice that may help you in your time here at Mines and beyond – especially here in the Health and Wellness section. This is not a preface to say we are changing things, because you better believe we’re going to keep giving you unsolicited (and amazing advice); however, it’s a good introduction to another source of spontaneous and helpful advice that we are going to remind you of today – your mother.

No, this is not a poorly set up ‘Yo Mama’ joke. The thought did cross my mind several times though before I let my professionalism set in and reminded myself that my own mother knows how to access these articles on Oredigger.net (Hi Mom!).

In all seriousness, Mines can be stressful, and as students who like to pretend that we know how to “adult,” the keyword is ‘pretend.’ We are by no means experts in anything, and I have found myself questioning some fundamental life skills that I probably should have learned years ago at least five times a week. Questions like – how long should it take to defrost chicken? Or can I microwave frozen chicken? Or what does salmonella feel like? – only lead to more questions and an embarrassing google search history tangent. Sometimes, all we need is someone to tell us the answer based on personal experience.

Our parents, moms and dads, have gone through some of the things that we are currently going through and survived to tell the tale. They can tell you just how long that yogurt can sit in your fridge and how you should never, EVER use dish soap in a dishwasher. They can help you file taxes for the first time and explain why black blazers don’t work with black slacks before career day. Not only practical skills, but more often than not, they are also great sources for listening to you rant, vent, complain, and share what’s going on in your life. Mentally, keeping things in is exhausting and stressful, and hopefully, talking to a parent can help get some things off your chest. The best part is they will have no idea who you are talking about, so they are disconnected enough from the situation, but close enough to you to care. They literally invested 18 years into your well-being so check in on them every once and awhile. It means the world when you can give them a quick glance into your life. It can help maintain a connection with them long after you’ve moved out and maybe even inspire them to come up and do a grocery run every now and then.

So, in the long run – Call your mom. Call your dad. Call someone and tell them to put your dog on the phone. Keeping things inside is rarely beneficial and maybe you can even learn something by talking out your problem, no matter how large. And remember, in your mom’s eyes, you probably aren’t calling enough anyway.