Varun Joshi, a senior majoring in economics and math, is a Hatchet opinions writer.

Ask me whether I consider myself to be more Indian or American, and I would have a difficult time answering. My dual identity has influenced my perspective on life, and for first-generation Americans like myself, this perspective is often split.

I was brought up in an individualistic American culture that values independence, but my family emphasized the importance of family and parental involvement, more typical of the “collectivist” Indian culture. When I left for college, those conflicting ideas meant my parents and I had to find a balance.

As we prepare for yet another academic year — during which freshmen will have both positive and negative experiences with their families — I’ve been reflecting on the way my family has handled my time at school thus far.

I’m glad my parents weren’t “helicopter parents,” and I’m thankful they didn’t leave me completely on my own, either. Personally, I’ve found that it’s best when families give their children space while still offering advice and guidance.

Coming from Virginia and living near a Metro station, I probably would have commuted and stayed with my family had I not been required to live on campus my freshman year. In retrospect, that was one of the best things to possibly happen to me.

I was relatively sheltered in high school. But living on campus allowed me to manage my own spending, dining habits, time and laundry. Such a stark change from life at home was an amazing experience.

But that doesn’t mean everything was easy. Leaving home to live independently at 18 was unprecedented in my family. In India, my parents and cousins lived with extended family up to or even through college. Naturally, while I was away at school I received a daily diet of my family’s concerns, probing questions and unsolicited advice.

Some of their fears were natural, like their anxiety over whether I was binge drinking or being influenced by students whose parents were uninvolved. There were also arguments about unanswered phone calls or too few phone calls. On top of that, my parents asked that I return to my residence hall at a reasonable hour each night and to notify them promptly upon doing so.

Since my family lives close by, they often asked me to spend weekends at home. Of course I missed them, but I also wanted to use my days off to explore GW and meet new people.

I was stuck between an American-influenced desire to grow as an individual and my family’s Indian-influenced desire to participate in my life. This was where the importance of balance came in.

Eventually, my family got used to my absence and realized I was handling myself responsibly. Gradually, they became more comfortable with me living on my own and gave me increasing space to grow as an individual.

But despite my happiness with my newfound independence then, I also encountered moments of anxiety and self-doubt when I needed my family. Having a support system to vent to about my life and my future during those moments was truly invaluable. Being alone at such times of stress would have been almost as bad as being completely crowded out.

It’s a truism that two logs will burn well when separate, but will be extinguished when too close. From personal experience, I can argue for a middle ground.