Michelle Obama is currently visiting countries in Asia as part of her work supporting girls’ education worldwide. Jenna Bush Hager has been traveling with Michelle and interviewed her for Today. During the interview portion that aired Monday, Michelle gave her thoughts on the impeachment proceedings and said that the country will be OK. She also talked about getting to travel more now that she and President Obama are officially empty-nesters. People has more of Michelle’s comments to Jenna about bringing Sasha to college. Michelle, President Obama, and Malia brought Sasha to campus, where she’s living with roommates:

Asked by Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager if there were tears at the drop-off, Mrs. Obama, 55, said “there were.”

But “we were really good about it,” she added in an interview that aired Tuesday. (The Obamas have asked to keep private where Sasha, 18, is enrolled.) “We didn’t want to embarrass her because, y’know, she had roommates.”

It was later in the day, however, that the poignancy of the moment really struck, Mrs. Obama said.

Mrs. Obama recalled on Today: “After lunch, when we said that final goodbye, when we got into a car — me and Barack and Malia, who was there with us — and then Sasha drove off on her own and said that last goodbye, that’s when we were like [crying noises].”

With a laugh, Mrs. Obama re-enacted a few of their sniffles.

“I’m excited for my girls to grow up and to become independent,” she told Hager, with whom she has been in Vietnam this week spotlighting support for girls’ education. “But it is — you feel a little melancholy that they will never be the little ones that sit on your lap and listen to your every word and look at you adoringly. Those days are over.”

[From People]

The Obamas are choosing not to disclose where Sasha is going to school, although it’s been reported already. I can’t imagine how difficult it is to be a college student in a fishbowl. College is a chance to possibly be on your own, to really embrace your own autonomy and figure out more of who you are and what you think you might want to do during the next phase of your life. I’m sorry for anyone who has to do that while being constantly watched and scrutinized by people.

This is a really sweet story about drop-off, from Michelle, too. I don’t think my parents ever cried when they brought me to campus. Maybe they waited until after they left, like the Obamas. I got a bit sad when they’d leave every year, but then I’d get back into my routine with my friends, and everything was fine. I loved college, and would go back in a heartbeat. I hope that Sasha loves her time at college too!

Watch part two of @MichelleObama’s interview with @jennabushhager about dropping her youngest daughter off at college, the 2020 election and her special friendship with former President George W. Bush. pic.twitter.com/wz9ZBAtpG6

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 10, 2019

View this post on Instagram

27 years ago, this guy promised me a life full of adventure. I’d say he’s delivered. Here’s to our next chapter of becoming empty nesters and discovering what’s next—while still feeling the magic that brought us together all those years ago. Happy anniversary, Barack. ?

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Oct 3, 2019 at 7:46am PDT

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Photos credit: Getty and via Instagram