The One Thing Your College Student Would Love to Receive From You

“Mama, when you get a chance, can you send me a card?”

The question came during a fairly routine conversation with my daughter, a college sophomore majoring in theatre. In the midst of the usual back and forth texting about homework, auditions, RA duty and friends she slipped in this quiet question and it brought me up short.

When my daughter left for college a year ago, her entry was a little rocky as she navigated ever-forming and shifting groups of friends. There were some lonely nights, s...