I had just turned 12 years old when the Obama family moved into the White House. Now, I’m a 19-year-old college sophomore, and after President Barack Obama’s two terms, they are preparing to leave the office once and for all.
In light of this, I think it is important for me to note just how much my friends, the larger group of millennials as a whole and myself love the presidential family.
Barack and Michelle Obama, in a way, were our adoptive parents of the political world. We grew as their children grew, hit our teenage years as their children slid into theirs and laughed when they laughed.
Perhaps we picked up on that same sense of desired relatability that arises with being the parents of teenagers that Barack and Michelle seemed to radiate for the past eight years.
I laughed at the videos they were featured in on YouTube and even ate from the healthier school lunches that the first lady had a hand in getting on my plate. Yet, whether you thought the YouTube humor was dull or that the new lunches were disgusting, it still goes without saying that the Obamas’ presence in our day to day lives was something that we had never experienced with a first family before.
The Obamas always seemed to hold themselves with elegance and grace. Even when my peers and I were getting riled up about the political world that we were just starting to understand, the first couple was there to calm us down.
They took every comment, every problem, and every ounce of detestation thrown at them with the utmost class. That alone was more than enough to inspire us to strive to be as composed as they were.
Because of their actions, we knew that even when the world got ugly, we didn’t have to follow suit.
I, and many people I know, will greatly miss the Obamas. They have given my generation a marvelous eight years of leadership.
I think they’re great. While I found myself struggling to recall the name of former first lady Laura Bush (possibly because of my age) I know that I will never forget Michelle. I’ll never forget Barack. I won’t even forget Malia and Sasha.
I credit them with so much. They have inspired us, taught us, lead us, introduced us to the practical political scene and — in a way — they even fed us.
No matter where we go from here, I’m happy that the Obamas were with us, even if only for eight years. They will be greatly missed.
Jordan Marcell is a 19 year old anthropology and studio photography sophomore  from Geismar, Louisiana.