Jeff Lewis / Staff Photographer

With spring comes infant birds, budding flowers and college acceptance letters. During this time of animal noises and sweet smells, many high school seniors’ homes fill with excitement and anxiety. According to an article by mother and daughter pair Margo E. Bane Woodacre and Steffany Bane, the reality of big change causes emotions to fly and tempers to flair.

Young adults want to log last minute quality time with friends, leaving their parents by the wayside. Parents fight back, attempting to hold on to their precious angels for just a little longer. In this time of tug-of-war when independence is the rope, family members often lose sight of their appreciation for one another.

Then, as fall arrives, high school teens become college students and the moon of curfews sets as the sun of unabated personal liberties rises.

The Banes said a screen of privacy is often put between parents and offspring, and both sides must put forth the effort to stay connected.

“When we leave for college, we are faced with real-life situations that we have to face alone, without the help of our parents,” biology junior Sasha D’Antonio said. “With time, we learn to appreciate our parents and what they do for us.”

Dr. Maureen E. Kenny, a professor at Boston College, cites the fact that first year college students feel closer to their guardians than they did before leaving home. Students tend to look to their parents for security, emotional support and advice and guidance during stressful times. This phase of “secure-attachment” is much easier when offspring voluntarily move to an environment of low stress. While parents experience an empty nest, their kids experience an “opportunity for environmental exploration” according to Kenny’s study.

“My family, especially my sisters and I, get along a thousand times better than we did when I lived at home,” political science senior Casey Fuller said. “I think when you live with someone for so long, you just start to see all of their flaws and get frustrated with them rather than seeing their better side.”

“It is definitely better spending time with my family since I graduated high school,” Fuller said. “They treat me in a more respectful way.”

During visits home, D’Antonio loves eating home cooked food while being doted over, and Fuller admits his mom still pays for his gas. These comforts of home continue to be special for students, but as years pass and accomplishments are met, students turn into adults and small comforts and consistent support are needed less often. At some point far, far down the road, the caretaking roles may be reversed.