Friendly Reminder- Mother’s Day is TODAY!

By Grace Carballo ‘17

Today is not just another day of finals preparation, excess coffee consumption, and a test of human willpower. In case all the days have sort of run together, today is, in fact, Mother’s Day!

Especially during these dark and difficult times, if there is one piece of information you retain, it’s that moms everywhere deserve a standing ovation, fields of flowers, truckloads of the most heartfelt of cards, and really whatever they’re partial to, especially on the one day we think to honor them.

Though you might not have the time (the day is already upon us) or the means (college) to arrange a grand gesture, you can always afford to show your heartfelt appreciation to the woman who made you who you are today.

A motto I’ve really resonated with this semester is, “When the going gets tough, just call Mom.” (That’s the expression, right?) And if you’ve taken the time to call your mom recently to figure out your summer storage situation, ask for money, or maybe cry a little, you best be dialing her up pronto to wish her well and show her how much she means to you.

Besides a heartfelt phone call, there are other ways you can show your mother affection:

I know my mom’s one request, bless her soul, was that my brothers and I each make her a new playlist.  Moms are people, too, remember and people love to dance!

As you’re packing up your closet, maybe you’ll find something your mother might want to add to her own wardrobe. Those trendy high-waisted jeans you just bought were once exclusively a mom trend, you know!

Sharing clothes with your mom is both economical and adorable, but if you want to get her something new last minute, you could always send her a photo of it today and bring it home when you finish your exams.

If your mom doubles as your best friend, you probably know her takeout food of choice. If a well-made pizza speaks to her soul much more-so than the bouquet you’re also considering, by all means, order up that cheesy goodness and send it her way! In all of life, it’s about knowing your audience.

If your mom is anything like Forrest Gump’s or mine, she probably gives tremendous advice.

Letting her know, you’ve actually taken it heart, could make a wonderful gift in and of itself. A short book of your favorite quotes from her, or a frame decorated with one, or even just a (better late than never) card or letter you could send appreciating her wisdom would probably mean a great deal to her.

Moms are always willing to stand up for what they believe in; and often times what they believe in is their children. Though her protective nature may have been annoying at times, she always had your best interest in mind.

If your mom is equally as passionate about a particular cause, donating to a charity of her choice or making concrete plans to volunteer with her there as soon as you are reunited could make a wonderful gift.

If your mom is active on social media, perhaps a well-timed Instagram post is exactly what she seeks (but only if you also share it on Facebook and tag her so her friends, colleagues, and former classmates can see how hip she is).

Odds are good these will be the entirety of everyone’s newsfeeds all day (incentive to get off social media and study perhaps?), so you definitely will want to choose a pic that will really set yours apart. And filter accordingly.

Your mom has probably put up with a lot from you so something else you may want to consider when celebrating your mom today is her love language, (http://www.5lovelanguages.com/) or how she expresses love. 

Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch are the five love languages and knowing how the people you care for express and prefer to receive affection is very important. There’s a quiz you could take on the linked site for yourself or with them in mind, but it definitely is something worth perusing.

The most important lesson to learn from all of this: given our age and current stress levels, your mom might be expecting you to forget this holiday and all it stands for.

Do NOT give them that satisfaction!

Make her proud with your exam scores or if that’s not really feasible at this point, proud of your effort!

I would like to take this time to give a quick shout-out to my own mother (both of us have Words of Affirmation as our love language) for being the most selfless, compassionate, and hardworking person I know.  The text below is just one example of her looking out for me during my first finals of college last winter. 

Another great one is the fact that she just e-mailed me a letter about how much she loves being my mom in honor of Mother’s Day, which is quite an innovative take on the holiday and speaks volumes about her character. My card for her, in contrast, will probably arrive (hopefully) by Tuesday, which also says a lot about who I am as a person.

If you’re reading this, Mom, thank you, I love you, and I cannot wait to see you in 4 short days. (And I know she will definitely read this because she supports me creatively, as well. You should see some of the artwork of mine she’s kept over the years- it lacks depth, but she seems to like it.)

Happy Mother’s Day to all! Especially to those among you who are actually  mothers. This one’s for you!

- Grace