Mother’s Day is just around the corner. While you may plan to FedEx a “Northwestern Mom” t-shirt to your biological mom in an effort to show your appreciation, don’t forget about all the other “moms” you have in your life. Although you may have had only one or two moms growing up, when you arrived at Northwestern, you may have found yourself with an abundance of motherly figures who give you guidance for the duration of your college years. The least you could do is show your appreciation, you spoiled brats.
Peer Advisor
If you think about it, your peer advisor was your first college mom. From the moment you approached your PA group, your PA stood out like a welcoming ray of sunshine. In her sashimi-colored shirt, she smiled at you while you stood uncomfortably in the middle of the unfamiliar group. She became the backbone of your PA group, the glue between awkward 18-year-olds who didn’t exactly stick together, and that alone is an accomplishment worth acknowledging. For Mother’s Day, try to get together with your fellow PA siblings and plan a surprise dinner for her. PAs love nothing more than than to see all of her kids together. Medill sophomore and peer advisor Stephanie Minn said it would be great to hear from her PA group. “Now that it's Spring Quarter, it's been awhile since I've been in touch with some of my PA kids,” Minn said. “A text or message from one of them would be so sweet, just so I know they're still thinking of me!”
Professor
Professors are the closest thing we have to celebrities on campus. If they do something notable, it will often be immediately Yik Yakked or Snapchatted for everyone to see. If you spot them on campus and try to say hi, they will most likely stare blankly at you, mutter a “hello” and continue walking down Sheridan Road thinking, “Is he or she really in my class?” It can be extremely hard to get to know a professor in a 400-person lecture, but once you start going to office hours or voicing extremely wrong answers in class, your professor might actually notice you and become an important mentor for you. To profess your gratitude, raise your hand in lecture, stand up and shout, “I love you.” That’ll really get your professors’ heart to explode.
Resident Assistant
Your Pledge Mom or PA might have all the qualities of the “cool” mom from Mean Girls, but your resident assistant, on the other hand, might make you feel like Big Brother is really after you sometimes. But before you start complaining about having to hide your shot glasses and hot water heater, you should realize that your RA really is there to look out for you. Even though they can rat you out in the blink of an eye, you have to remember that they’re students too. RAs can be there for you if you’re throwing up in the bathroom or if you just need someone to talk to when you’re stressed. In fact, they can even help you fall asleep. “[My RA] helped me get earplugs when I couldn’t sleep during Wildcat Welcome because my roommate was snoring,” said Weinberg freshman Mary Parker. All your RA wants for Mother’s Day is for you to think of them as a friend and not a policewoman. So knock on their door, give them a hug and say thank you – there’s nothing more simple and thoughtful than that.
Pledge Mom
If you are in a sorority, your pledge mom can be there to guide you and to show you a good time. After rushing and pledging, your pledge mom adopted you to be her child and that really says something. Your pledge mom will be there to show you the ropes, go to mixers with you and laugh with you until you cry. The perfect way to show this mama that you love her is by bonding with her over a bottle of wine. Weinberg freshmen Harman Bharj loves her pledge mom because “she supports me in every way possible. I can always count on her for advice. She is a ray of sunshine.” Whether you go for dinner or just sit on the floor of your room, you and your pledge mom are guaranteed to have a fun time laughing and chatting together.
Friend Group Mom
In your friend group, you might have friends who act like children and one friend who is everyone’s mom. She’s the nurturing one who will hold your hair back if you’re throwing up, who will separate your friends if they’re yelling in each other’s faces and who will always be there to cuddle with you if a guy or girl breaks your heart. Friend group moms are often underestimated and forgotten, but they can truly be the foundation of the group. For Mother’s Day, you might want to drink in your friend group mom’s honor because you know at the end of the night, she’ll probably be the one giving you the trash can to puke in and wiping your drunk tears away.