At the end of the summer going into freshman year, I never would have imagined that I would be sad that my freshman year was almost over. College helped me learn things about myself, others, and life that I otherwise never would have realized.

1. Living with people makes you closer

After having a room to yourself for your whole life, getting a roommate takes some adjusting. But with time, you will soon realize that on breaks and over the summer, going back to a room by yourself is the weird experience. When living with people, you very quickly see the best and worst sides of them, quickly making you all life-long friends.

2. It is exciting to be in charge of your own future

As daunting as it may sound, picking a major and a potential career path is very exciting. To have the freedom to pick the classes you want is a new experience, and it is important to take the reigns and take classes that seem interesting to you.

3. It is okay to miss home

College is all about making new memories, but it is hard to adjust to the new lifestyle. I realized that I took my family for granted before college, and I have a newfound appreciation for them now. It is so important to leave time to talk to friends from home and family during the week, and it is always nice to look forward to breaks!

4. You will always find your people

Though it may take time, you will find your people at college. Whether it be from being in the same club, living on the same floor, or sitting next to them in class, you will meet people unexpectedly and it could lead to the best friendships. The bottom line is to get involved, it will be easy to meet people who are similar to you.

5. Change is not always a bad thing

Thinking of starting over at a new school is scary. Maybe, like me, you are a homebody, and could not even imagine going to a school three hours from home. Or, maybe you were dying for college to start. Whatever the case, a large change occurs, but it is not always a bad thing. It is important to take risks, because when they pay off, you will realize more and more how much you are growing as a person as you go through college.