Last weekend, seeing all the families roaming around campus made me feel wistful, thinking about being back home and waiting for my mom to come so I can take a tour with her.

But family weekend was about more than just brief family reunions; there’s the bond of love that emanates from it. The fact is we would not be who we are without them, try as we might.

It’s very easy to come to college and forget about mom, pop and your siblings back home because college is so ensnaring. This new life where you don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to do anything, go anywhere, say anything—this new world where you’re taken out of the family unit and given a chance to be an individual.

For some, this may be a relief to be away from the pressures and expectations put on our shoulders by our loved ones. Or for those who have bad relationships with their families and spend half their time swearing at their mothers on the phone, the chance to fly unfettered in the college environment is a relief.

Yet it can be traumatic for others, me included, being parted from the people they love wondering what happened to the days when you were there to be a part of their lives.

For every birthday, Christmas and Valentine’s Day a girl would receive cards from her father telling her that no other man loves her as much as he does.

It’s draining to be away from my family, but technology is an incredible help. Those bonds remain cemented even from 3000 miles away.

I am thankful for the strength my family inspires in me; they’re not perfect, but their love never falters, and their dreams for me always reach for the sky even when I cannot.

Regardless of our relationships with our families, we must always understand that those are the people who are worth making up with the most. The ones who are worth laying your pride down for, the people you don’t need to set up barriers for.

There is no tree that can stand without roots and be truly beautiful and healthy.

Philppa Hatendi can be reached at phatendi@ut.edu.