It’s senior year for the Class of 2019. Seniors are finishing the year, raising their GPAs, and taking their final SAT tests in preparation for their futures.

This time of transition from high school to the “real world” can leave seniors feeling both nervous and excited, but they aren’t the only ones.

Close to 25 million students are expected to graduate from high school in 2019. While the attention is usually centered on the graduates, parents are going through a rollercoaster of emotions as well.

Parents suddenly realize that their baby is leaving them; the one they raised. One day they are changing diapers then the next they are moving their kids into college dorm rooms.  

One mom, in particular, is really in her feelings. Dallastown’s cafeteria worker, Jenifer Strine is the mother of senior Noah Strine who is headed to York College in the fall to major in nursing.

“I am excited about my new college life, but I will miss home as the way it used to be when I was in high school,” Noah said.

His mom, worried about missing her son, is seriously considering following Noah to college by looking for a position in the cafeteria at York.

Strine said, “Yeah, we plan to have lunch visits. I’ll walk in and be like come sit with mommy!”

Other parents feel quite differently and are excited for their child’s next stage in life.

Another Dallastown employee Karen Christas is facing an empty nest for her second time. Christas has two boys, George (Class of 2011) and Raymond, a current senior. 

“I’m not too nervous, but it will be weird having the house be empty and I won’t have either one of my boys,” Christas said. 

Somewhere in the middle of Strine and Christas lies the parents who don’t know what hit them. These parents feel every emotion. They can be scared, excited, ready, and not ready at the same time.

Dallastown Holocaust Studies teacher Mrs. Dallmeyer , whose daughter Caroline will graduate in the Class of 2019, is a great representation of this.

“I’m really excited for her, but gosh, it will be weird. I’m going to be all alone at school. Not seeing her pop in during the school day will be hard,” Dallmeyer said.  

Dallmeyer will not just miss her daughter at school; this feeling trickles into her home life.

“I’m gonna be stuck in a house full of boys, not that I don’t love them, but girl power ya know?”

Being the parent of a graduating senior is a difficult transition in life. According to many studies, after a child leaves for college, this time of life can be full of new beginnings. Parents’ extra time can be used to exercise more, to become more involved with a church, or to try something brand new.

“I think I honestly want to try exercising more,” both Christas and Strine said.  

According to Psychology Today, this can be an extremely hard time for parents that need to be discussed more. Studies on the Grown and Flown site show that there is a 30% increase in adults entering counseling when their child leaves for college. Their advice? Parents need to keep their minds occupied.

“If you need to think about it, think about the fact they are going to be successful,” Psychology Today said.

In the end, senior year is rough for everyone. It’s a new transition and a change in life that can be both emotional and exciting.