<p>Hi all, I just wanted to vent a little bit. This is my first night in my dorm. While I'm very excited to start school and my sport, I am also very emotional about leaving my dad. He was a single father and he is my best friend And the thought of him not being here is driving me crazy. I'm a guy and I feel like I'm not suppose to be this emotional About going off to college but here I am with tears rolling down my cheeks alone in my dorm awaiting the arrival of my teammates late tonight. I know my dad will be missing me more than I miss him And I don't want to think that my dad will be lonely without me but I know he will, I almost feel bad for leaving home. I know this is a new chapter in my life and I look forward to it but moving away really hurts. I miss my dad</p>
<p>Is your roommate there too? Freshman who participate in a fall sport and have to arrive on campus early have it tough. There aren’t a lot of students on campus, just your teammates, and so it might seem a bit lonely at first. Once the rest of the students arrive you’ll be so busy meeting new people, practicing your sport and attending classes that you won’t have a lot of time to think about who you’ve left behind at home.</p>
<p>When I dropped my son off on campus his freshman year, his roommate had been there a week already for football practice. He really, really missed his mom. We sat and talked for a long time, a little awkwardly since DS and I had never met him before, and when I left he gave me a big hug. He was so sweet and so homesick.</p>
<p>Can you call/text/email your dad, just a short note or conversation, telling him you miss him? It might cheer you up to connect with him, even if only briefly.</p>
<p>Just know that what you’re feeling is normal, it gets easier, and your dad is probably very proud of you.</p>
<p>It might be too late to call him, but if not go ahead. You will be distracted soon by your team, it sounds like. Don’t worry, you will adjust even if it takes awhile. Its a big adjustment for everyone. Just have a regular call or skype once or twice a week. Meanwhile think of the things you will look forward to telling him about. I know I loved to hear all the details, so write emails etc.</p>
<p>I just finished helping my son pack his suitcase. He leaves tomorrow at 7 a.m… I, like your father, am a single parent who has a close loving relationship with my son. I just want you to know that while I will miss him terribly, I am so happy for him. He has an wonderful opportunity to attend a great university. I celebrate his moving on to the next stage of his life and mourn the loss of being an active participant in his life. I have been getting in many last hugs as the day goes on. I am sure that your father feels the same way about you moving away to college. He has been there for all the major events of your life and now is moving from active participant to spectator. </p>
<p>Your emotions are normal and you must have an amazing father! Don’t think twice about calling him or texting him just to say that you are thinking of him. 
Change is always hard, but what awaits you is an incredible journey.</p>
<p>texting sounds good- i still love getting texts from my daughters - now 4th year. even just a Hi</p>
<p>^^ Me too.</p>
<p>OP, I don’t have much to add, but I wanted to reinforce that what you’re feeling, while hard, is totally normal. It will get better. That’s probably impossible for you to believe right now, so for now, you’ll have to trust us. It will get better.</p>
<p>The more you get involved with the people and activities around you, the quicker it will get better. Get out and about, meet a lot of people, do a lot of stuff.</p>
<p>What a good son you are to be so concerned about your father</p>
<p>You are a great son, and what you are feeling is so very normal. </p>
<p>As a parent, even though we miss our kids terribly, consider the alternative. Them not functioning? Never leaving home? </p>
<p>The job of a parent is to raise a young adults who are ready to leave the nest when the right time comes. It hurts to see our kids go but we are also happy for them. </p>
<p>I cry thinking about my youngest son leaving… and he’s still a HS Senior!!! But would I want him to stay here? Absolutely not!!! </p>
<p>You and your father will remain close. Your dad will be okay. This will be an opportunity for him to branch out and make new friends and connections, even while you are making new friends and having a great year. I think you will feel better when your teammates arrive and practice starts. It will work out.</p>
<p>Your dad must be so proud of you! My D just left for her sophomore year on Thursday. As an athlete, she also has to move in earlier. Last night, she sent me a video of her new dorm room. Text your dad, call him as you walk to class, Skype on weekends. Technology is great!!
Good luck to you!</p>
<p>It’s totally normal to feel this way. When your teammates get there, you will have less time to get homesick and you will be keeping busy, forming bonds with them, etc. I can guarantee that your dad misses you, but I’m sure that he is also thrilled and excited that you have this opportunity to enjoy a great college experience. As others have said, text him every once in a while to let him know you are thinking of him and miss him, or just even to tell him about your day. Just a short text like that means a lot to us parents. :)</p>
<p>Know that you will make your Dad very happy by embracing all the opportunities that college has to offer. I’m going to guess he has worked hard to provide/help you with this, and is very excited for your new adventure. Include him in some Dad/Son on-campus weekends. He will enjoy the college experience too!!</p>
<p>It has gotten better and thank you guys so much for the kind words one small problem… 6 of my teammates and all my roommates are British and have a HEAVY accent, on top of this I have hearing loss. Soooo I’m left either saying what every other sentence or saying nothing because I cannot understand what they say half the time, lol. We’ll learn to communicate and I’ll be just fine but thank y’all for being supportive :)</p>
<p>Try video skype.</p>
<p>you’ll get used to the accent soon</p>
<p>You’re doing good, Dom140. Be aware that there will be ups and downs, but the downs will get less frequent and less intense as time goes by. Just stay involved with people and activities as much as you can, and you’ll feel more and more at home.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I have NO sympathy about the British accent problem. I find that very sexy!</p>
<p>But seriously, just keep doing what you’re doing, and come back here and tell us about it.</p>
<p>FWIW, even as an an adult (mid-twenties), I always feel a bit sad and lonely the first night I spend in a new house or apartment. It’s like I don’t know this place at all… and yet it’s supposed to be my “home.” It feels weird, but it goes away in a couple of days, in my experience.</p>
<p>Plz delete this thread, I feel I have gotten everything I needed out of the post. Thank everyone so much for responding!</p>