The end of a chapter often brings about a lot of reflection, and with reflection comes memories. I find it hard to believe that 4 years ago I had just graduated high school and was looking ahead at the chapter I just completed - college. To say it went by fast would be an understatement. It seems like yesterday I was sitting in my honors world history class as a high school freshman and next thing I know, I'm at my college graduation. As I look back on the last few years, I'm grateful for all the lessons I learned both in and out of the classroom. I'm thankful for the lifelong friends who quickly became family, and also for everything I learned from everyone I came in contact with.

As I think back to where I was at this time four years ago, I think of what I would tell myself if I could. I have learned a lot about communication disorders, but also about myself and life. Here are seven things I wish I could go back and tell myself at age eighteen.

1. Seriously - use a GPS.

I'm really grateful I used the GPS on my phone, especially for the first few months I was away from home. There were times when I did not use it because I was too busy thinking I knew exactly where I was going. It is so much easier to just go ahead and turn it on before driving than having to stop somewhere and put a destination in. Don't do it while driving. Cops are around, and tickets are expensive. Put that money elsewhere. The point is this - make sure to always think about how to get where you're going.

2. Driving in a "big city" isn't all that bad.

I had to put quotation marks around "big city" because Huntington is not a big city for those that did not come from small towns. My parents were reluctant to let me drive anywhere but my hometown until I left for college, which was difficult for me. Driving with a lot more traffic with not a lot of experience was challenging at first. The more I did it, the better I was at it.

3. A "B" is not a bad grade.

My Type A personality has always been in overdrive when it comes to academics. I enjoy learning and want to achieve high grades. I was determined to get into the Top 10 of my high school class, which I did; however, there was a lot of stress that came along with it. I took honors and AP classes in high school, and college classes were even more difficult. Getting a B is not terrible. It is actually a really good grade. An "A" isn't worth the stress somtimes. Get some sleep, eat some healthy food, and breathe. God's will isn't determined by something as minuscule as a letter or number anyway. It's going to be okay.

4. The opinions of other people really don't matter.

You don't live to make other people happy. It is important to listen. Sometimes, we do need someone wise to tell us when we've screwed up or to question our intentions. However, if someone doesn't like something we're doing that God has called us to or brings us happiness with pure intentions, it really doesn't matter if someone doesn't like it. Wear that shirt you love that your friend thinks is ugly. Change your major if you're no longer passionate about it. Break up with that person if it's not working out, despite fear of what others might think. At the end of the day, those who truly love you are going to support you.

5. Your friends will become family, and that's okay.

The friends you make in college are not like the ones from high school. They're not perfect, but they're perfectly different. You don't talk to them like the ones you had in high school. The topics of conversation are different because things change when you graduate high school. You'll make lasting memories with these people, and they'll be there with you through some of your darkest moments. They become your family when your blood family isn't there. As you're becoming an adult, these are the people that are with you.

6. Your hometown won't feel the same anymore.

Whenever you go back home, it won't ever be the same it was before you left. Time has passed and life has moved forward for you and your parents. You have new experiences that they weren't there for, and the same goes for them. You're not ever the same person once you leave, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. As C.S. Lewis once said, "There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind."

7. Take some time to live.

There is so much that awaits in each new chapter. Take advantage of each opportunity and adventure. God opens and closes doors, so walk through each open door according to His will. Go overseas and march in a parade. Go share the Gospel in a new city. Go get coffee with that new girl and get to know her. Making lasting memories all around the US. Invest in your passions and discover new ones. Find that one thing that compels you to get up every morning and turns a job into a fun time. Let God have sovereignty in every area of your life and don't hold anything back. Just live. You won't regret it.