Michelle Obama Says She Feels ‘Melancholy,’ Talks About Life As An Empty Nester

It’s no longer a full house for former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama. The couple, who has two daughters, Sasha and Malia Obama, are empty nesters for the first time ever this year. Michelle opened up to Jenna Bush Hager about the moment she dropped of Sasha at college and how she’s been doing since, according to Today.

Sasha, who is 18-years-old, headed off to The University of Chicago Laboratory school this past August. Her three other family members all dropped her off together. The former First Lady recalled that there were some tears, but she tried to hold them back as much as possible so she wouldn’t embarrass her daughter in front of her roommates. But as soon as they had separated, Michelle admittedly broke down.

“But then all four of us went to lunch, and it was at the end, after lunch, when we said that final goodbye, when we got into a car, me, 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 noise).”

Malia, on the other hand, is 21-years-old and junior at Harvard University. Both of her famous parents also attended the school.

Hager recently joined the former First Lady for a trip to Vietnam. The pair are a part of a project focused upon raising attention about the importance of education for women in developing nations. In the area of Vietnam that they visited, it is rare for women to receive a higher education, as their role is expected to be in the home. Hager and Michelle got to spend time with some influential women who working hard to receive an education, despite the heightened challenges they face. Michelle said that she saw her own college-aged daughters in these women.

“So proud. To spend your childhood growing up before the eyes of the world and to come out of that whole situation whole,” she said of her daughters.

She continued on to discuss how the women in Vietnam fighting for an education are no different than herself or her daughters. Nor are they any different than the many American women who also desire to work hard and build a future for themselves by receiving a college degree.

As The Inquisitr previously reported, Michelle recently shared a family photo for Thanksgiving. Her daughters look nearly unrecognizable all grown up, each of them stunning in dresses for the holiday.