One of the subreddits I follow and like is GenX. I do identify strongly with a lot of the GenX stereotypes so it’s nice (read: comforting?) to read about other older people and their memories/upbringing/current situations.
Along those lines, one recurring theme is the freedom we had as kids back in the 80s. I don’t think my parents ever noticed or cared when I drove back to college (or home). I just left and drove the 2.5 hours. Now, my wife frets every time our younger son drives back to college.
I can’t remember my parents ever asking what I did in college. I think one they asked, “what’s the vineyard?” “Uh, the liquor store next to the dorm” They never asked again about anything.
Now, we know WAY too much and it isn’t good.
But the memory of today is that my parents let my best friend and I go to Spring Break in Ft Lauderdale when we were high school seniors! We were both 18, but we just left. Booked a hotel, had fake IDs, drank on the strip, went to wet t-shirt contests, and generally did Spring Break but we were still in high school.
My kids did travel a lot in high school but it was chaperoned trips with other students. It wasn’t two idiots staying in some shitty motel getting drunk on fake IDs without ANY adult even near us.
And it was good.