Michelle Obama opens up about what’s it been like to now have both of her daughters, Malia and Sasha, away at college. In an interview with People, the Becoming author shared how it’s been “emotional” for her sending off her youngest child to school this year.

While on the Today show, Jenna Bush Hager asked Michelle if she shed tears on the day of the official drop off of Sasha at school, to which Michelle said yes.

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The former First Lady shared that they made it a point to not embarrass her on her big day. “We didn’t want to embarrass her because, y’know, she had roommates,” recalled Michelle.

“It was at the end, 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 [mimics crying],” stated Michelle.

Michelle continues to share that she is excited for her girls to grow up and continue to become independent young women.

She also shared how there is a bit of melancholy that you experience during the ‘empty nest’ period because you realize that they are no longer “the little girls that would sit on your lap and listen to your every word.”