The first few weeks of freshman year are hard. Everything is thrown into your face at once: parties, making friends, finding your way around campus, and getting used to your classes.

Going home for the first time during fall break was like a breath of fresh air; it allowed me to relax and rejuvenate. Most importantly, I was able to see some of my home friends who were also on break.

Catching up with my home friends was so comforting, and opened up my eyes to some things:

1. College is hard for EVERYONE

Talking to my home friends made me realize that everything I was going through, they were going through also. No one thinks that the first few weeks of college are easy; they are confusing and weird for everyone.

We all were able to recall stories where we felt uncomfortable meeting new people and exhausted from everything that was going on. All of this is completely normal, so there is no need to hide it.

2. Social Media tells you ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about how a person is doing

Literally, nothing. Don’t fall for it. On social media, everyone looks like they are having the time of their lives. They are posting pictures of their new friends, all of the crazy parties they go to, and how they are having so much FUN. This can easily make you feel like everyone else is having a better time than you are.

However, this is deceiving.

People post about the good moments, but that doesn’t mean that the bad ones don’t exist. Just because someone looks like they are having the best time, doesn’t mean that they actually are.

In fact, I sometimes find that when people post too much, they are really trying to hide the fact that they aren’t really having that great of a time. I had no idea how any of my friends actually felt about school because from the looks of social media, everything was perfect. It was nice to hear that not everything is always as perfect as it appears.

3. Learning to live with another person IS NOT EASY for anyone

One thing we all connected on was how difficult it is to learn to live with someone else. My roommate and I get along and are really good friends, however it definitely took me some time to learn how to adjust my own behaviors to live with someone else.

Obviously, getting ready in the dark and eating your breakfast in the hallway because you don’t want to wake up your roommate isn’t ideal, but we all have to do it. No one thinks it is easy, but we are all adjusting together.

4. I MISS THEM!!!!!!

Seeing my home friends made me realize how much I really miss them. It was so nice to not have to go through the repetitive introductions of where I’m from, what my major is, and where I am living.

Being with my home friends was like being back in my comfort zone. I’ve made so many new friends at school who I love and I feel like I can be completely myself around, however it is a different feeling being with people you grew up with, and who already know everything about you.

It was also so enjoyable to be able to share all of our new stories and experiences because it is like each of us has a new world that we just recently joined, and everyone wants to know what each other’s new worlds are like.

Seeing my home friends was like sleeping in my own bed the first night of fall break: it just felt right. They are my home base, my comfort zone, and my go-to touch of reality. Throughout the craziness of the start of freshman year, I know that in the end, we are all going through it together.