Top Ten Ways the First Year of Parenting is Like Freshman Year at College

10. The first few days feel like the coolest, most awesome thing that’s ever happened to you, but about a week in, you realize, “HEYWAITAMINUTE! OHMYGOSH. This is gonna be HARD.”

9. You have to learn to appreciate someone else’s idea of good music. And listen to it over and over again from midnight to 2:30 AM for weeks on end.

8. You’d be willing to swear you’ve walked about a million miles with a little 10-15 lb. bundle slung over your shoulder.

7. You quickly learn how to nap almost anywhere in almost any position.

6. You got a lot of really thoughtful gifts from people in preparation for the Big Event, but you’d gladly sell ’em all for 24 solid hours of sleep and one book that has ALL the answers.

5. You spent every Friday and Saturday night with the same group of friends last year, and now you haven’t seen any of them since August. When you do get to see them again, it’s strangely difficult to figure out what to talk about.

4. You figure out how much good old Mom did for you, and you call and thank her. And cry a little. Or a lot.

3. The first time you go home, Mom meets you in the driveway, rushes to your car and grabs the stinky bundle out of your back seat. She whisks it away into the house, beaming like she’s carrying the Crown Jewels. She gets teary-eyed when she places that same bundle back into the car 48 hours later, all clean and fresh, and watches you drive away again.

2. You thought you pretty much had life figured out, but by the third semester you find you’re having to re-think just about everything you ever believed about anything.

1. By the end of the first year, you’ll be exhausted and swear you’re ready for a nice long break, but every moment away will feel like forever, and you won’t be able to get back fast enough. You’ve been completely transformed.

Megan also writes at her own blog,FriedOkra.