I'm mentally preparing for my college freshman to move back home this summer. This phase of parenting is harder than I thought.

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Cropped photo of a young man holding a skateboard and talking to his mom.
 

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I moved in with my 81-year-old grandmother during college. It was exactly what I needed.

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The author and her grandmother
The author (right) and her grandmother.

Courtesy of the author

I dropped out of Oxford because my workload was too much, and I had no time to enjoy college. It was the best decision.

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The author dropped out of Oxford University.

Courtesy of Graham Price

I supported my son when he changed his college major from law to philosophy. His grandparents warned it was a huge mistake.

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a group of college students in a classroom listening to their professor
The author's son (not pictured) decided to study philosophy.

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I was a low-income student, so college never seemed feasible. That changed when I took a college class as a high schooler.

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a female student with a backpack staring into the camera
The author (not pictured) attended a college class as a high schooler.

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My son is a recruited college athlete at Stanford. Imposter syndrome almost led him to drop out.

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The author's son (not pictured) is a college athlete at Stanford.

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Bill Belichick's shocking move to coach UNC shows how college teams are looking more like the pros

Tech Insider : Sports, Sports, Business
bill belichick
Bill Belichick is heading to the University of North Carolina.

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I went back to college at 42 to finish my degree. My daughter is my classmate, and it's only brought us closer.

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The author and her daughter Siri standing outside on a sidewalk and smiling with trees and leaves in the background.
The author goes to the same college as her daughter, Siri.

Photo credit: Paige Mast

My son is in his first semester in college. I want to give him space, but I also miss talking to him every day.

Tech Insider : Business
a distraught woman leaning on the counter holding her phone
The author (not pictured) is struggling with communicating with her college son.

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I bought a storage-unit business with my husband. The customers can be difficult, but it makes financial sense for our family.

Tech Insider : Business
nancy brier in front of a storage unit and climbing a ladder
The author owns a storage unit business.

Courtesy of Nancy Brier

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