The Harvard Mum essay project is my documentary essay series on immigrant motherhood, immigrant dreams, leadership, and all the deep lessons on staying calm and present as my oldest son joins the Harvard University class of 2029 this fall. He’s one of 3% of applicants to gain admittance and only one of a few Wisconsinites to do so.

My Chapter 2 essay, the high school graduation, revealed the vast numbers: 3.9 million high school graduates graduated from high school as the Class of 2025. Most American families celebrate in some way their teen’s achievement — and resources pending, with much time and money invested. The graduation and send-off party dominates this chapter, the last at home before the big move from the Midwest to the Northeastern part of the America: Boston.

With revelry and celebration comes cultural confusion, because the culture around accomplishments is so different to the egalitarian culture of New Zealand. I'm also reminded of my own adversity I encountered at age 18 as I entered university as I struggled with poverty and hardship to support myself and a severe eating disorder.

Amidst all this, I hope to stay calm and present working in that space of not knowing as Nicholas navigates his own challenges and opportunities ahead. This becomes the very premise of the ICF’s fifth core competency: Competency No 5, which will hopefully help us all in Chapter 3 of the Harvard Mum essay project.

Your show host, D G McCullough is a former reporter for the Guardian, the Economist, and the FT of London. She runs Hanging Rock Coaching and serves as a communications coach to leaders all over the globe. Find her on LinkedIn. Join her communications workshops on Maven here and here and free Lightning Lessons.