I recently completed my first week of college, surviving the nearly three hour move and the drastic adjustment from my small town to the big city, in which I will spend the next four years. Here's some advice that I've discovered that no one tells you when starting college for the first time.

10. Don't let the question of seating worry you.

I'm a very shy person, so the question of who I would sit by and who I would interact with ran through my mind constantly; I was so worried. Would they be nice? Would we get along? Would no one sit by me? My experience has been the exact opposite of every worry of mine. People are choosing to sit by me, they are all so nice and kind, and honestly, it makes me excited to see how the school year goes.

9. People are understanding of the transition you've made and are more than willing to help you.

You're a freshman. There are thousands of others who've gone through what you are going through now, and there will be many more after you. The people you come into contact with understand that you've left home, they understand college is a new experience for you, and they understand that you may be completely and utterly lost. They are more than willing to help you in any way they can.

8. Community showers and bathrooms are really not as bad as we've been lead to believe.

Growing up, I'd always feared what a communal bathroom would be like. I'd heard enough horror stories to make me fear them for my lifetime. . . but then I used one. They're cleaner than you've probably heard about, they're bigger than you would think, and they're simpler than what you've been told. So some basic advice, don't knock it until you try it.

7. It will be an adjustment starting at a school with people who you've never met before.

I've gone to school in the same county for as long as I can remember. Everybody knows everybody else, everyone knows what car each other drives, because you're probably the only person with that car, and it is impossible not to have classes with people you know. But in college, it's a completely different story. You're starting at a university, full of people from across the country and across the globe (my freshman class alone is made up of people from 24 different states and 9 different countries), and they don't all know you and you don't know all of them. This allows you to be anyone you want to be. This provides you with a chance to create the person you really are or are trying to be, so take that chance while you have it.

6. You will want to bring pictures from home to decorate your dorm room.

My life is full of "picture worthy" moments, and I make sure to embrace them, as you should. So when it came time to decorating my dorm room how I pleased, I knew that pictures of family and friends were at the top of my list. I had to surround myself in familiarity and with people and memories that I will love and cherish for as long as I live. I brought dozens, and my roommate brought some, but upon passing days and long talks, we both decided that we wish we had brought more; especially of our families. It would make our room feel more like home. So be sure to bring pictures, because they'll mean more to you than you think they will.

5. Your roommate will become family before you even realize it.

This is someone you're going to be spending every night, every morning and maybe even some classes with, every single day. They'll be there to comfort you when you're home sick. They'll be there to help you when you can't decide what to wear for the day. Finally, they'll be there for you when you need to talk to someone, because they'll see you in ways that normally takes years for people to see. That's what makes them family. It's a relationship that happens so quickly, but it's so strong. So, don't be afraid to be yourself in front of them.

4. You will hardly get any sleep - even before classes start.

With orientation, the move (and in some cases, time changes), getting to know your roommate, attempting to attend campus events and the beginning of classes; sleep is a pretty rare phenomenon. I never got to bed before 11 most nights, so because my bedtime previously was 9 during high school, 11 was a shock to me. Although, it was an easy adjustment to make, at least it has been so far. So don't count on getting hours and hours of sleep, because it probably won't happen.

3. You can never bring enough movies from home.

That movie you haven't watched in 3 years? Bring it. That movie that always makes you cry? Bring it. That movie you've never seen but have always wanted to? Bring it. No matter how many movies you bring, there will never been enough. There's not enough variety, there's not enough animated, there's not enough comedy. . . if you want to bring it, do it; you'll always be watching a movie or wanting to be.

2. You will be on an emotional rollercoaster.

The first week will be an emotional struggle on so many different levels. There are some days you'll be on top of the world, happier than you've ever been because you're in college. You have a freedom you've never had before, you have a new start that you've so desperately wanted, and you're going to learn from professors. But then, you have low days. You are homesick, even more than you imagined would be possible. You're behind on making new friends, and you don't talk to your best friend from high school but once every three days. The emotions and feelings rotate, leaving you on a rollercoaster that will be very hard to get off of; but don't be ashamed of it. Everyone is going through it, trust me.

1. You will miss home so much.

I knew I would miss home a lot. I knew I would miss cuddling with my cat every night, seeing my mother and talking about our days over a home cooked dinner and Bachelor in Paradise. I knew I would miss attending my brother's soccer games, and I knew I would miss hearing my other brother on the computer playing games with his friends. I knew I would miss home more than anything, and I was not wrong. This first week has seen more of my tears than ever before; this part of the article alone is earning a flood of tears. But, no one told me just how much I would miss them. You will miss your family more than you would ever think possible, and don't be afraid or ashamed to admit it. They're your family. As the days pass, it'll get easier (I've been told), and you'll be able to handle the separation easier. So, until that day; cry it out, all that you need to.

Moving into college was fun, and the busy week has been fun too, but so has the learning experience this has been. I can't wait to see what the next four years has in store.