By the time I came back they knew I was old enough to take care of myself. But there would be things like days I would stay out late, not even thinking to call my parents to tell them. I would come home at one in the morning and find a gourmet meal waiting for me. I'd always feel so guilty. Even when curfews are not a problem, coming home late is still a point of contention for many students and their parents.
College life has a natural tendency to continue late at night.
This practice seems odd and often troublesome to parents who are used to going to bed when most college students are heading out the door for the evening. It's more acceptable to them if you leave early and do whatever until 11 when your plans actually start. Or when you go to call your friends you have to make sure you don't wake up their parents. In college you can call most people until 12 without worrying about waking people up. At home, calls past nine are unusual.