As a wind-up to my last few weeks of being a Division I student-athlete, I have reflected a lot on my experience. There has been a lot of thinking, tons of laughing, and a few tears.

I will miss almost everything about being a college athlete, and I am beyond thankful for the lifelong memories I have made. I will miss everything from hardly being awake at 5 a.m. weight sessions to having the strange mix of laughter and anxiety with my roommate wondering what fitness is going to entail at practice the next day. I will miss the feeling of my team winning in the last minute of a close game, and the silence on the bus when we lost. I will miss playing the sport I love in 100 degrees in pre-season, and playing when it is freezing out at the end of conference. Not going to lie, I will even miss the ice baths.

While I was doing all of this thinking, I have thought of some advice that I wish I received as a freshman.

Here is an open letter to all the freshman college athletes out there:

Congrats, you did it. You achieved a dream you have had since before you could tie your shoes. You fell in love with the game probably at an age when you had orange slices and Hi-C at half time. You are now a role model to those little children all over, and now they want to be you. You are very special for being able to do this. Always remember some people would kill to be playing where you are.

Thank your parents. Without them, you would never be nearly where you are now. Thank your parents for all those practices that they drove you to, all the weekends they spent at your tournaments, and for always being there for when you need to vent, cry and even celebrate.

Your freshman preseason will be the hardest. It will be so new to you, and it will feel like the longest month of your life. Don’t sweat if you don’t pass a fitness test or don’t get playing time in the first scrimmage. Remember you’re only a freshman, and you have so much more time. Don’t get discouraged, be a good teammate, and cheer on whoever is playing. It will get better.

Make sure you understand your place on the team. Your time being a college athlete is going to fly by, so respect the upperclassman (even if you play more than them); they are still older than you, and have been in the program longer, so they probably know what they are talking about. If they correct you, they are just trying to help. Remember you're only a freshman once, so enjoy pumping up the balls before practice, doing laundry, and looking ridiculous carrying ball bags in the airport. It might really suck at the time, but one day you are going to look back and laugh.

Next, if you don’t think you can do it, you can. Playing a college sport will make you realize how mentally and physically strong you really are. When you don’t think you can finish that last sprint, you can. You will wake up some morning so sore you think you are dying, but I promise it will be okay. Always remember that everything you're experiencing, most of your team is experiencing as well. And those 120s you had to run for every ball that was flat at practice will make a great story one day.

Have a relationship with your coaches. These coaches will become part of your family. You will see your team and coaches more than anyone else in your life for the next four years. Respect them even if you don’t think they are right. Talk to them -- they are here to help you along the crazy ride. They did what you are doing at one point in their own life.

No matter how gross the cafeteria food is, take some back to your dorm. You will be hungry all of the time. Stock up on food and get creative. You will become a master of making gourmet ramen and PB&J.

Balancing school is hard. There are going to be nights where you are up until 2 a.m. studying and have practice at 6 a.m. But it is okay -- have a cup of coffee and take a nap the next day. Make sure you take advantage of study hall and your academic advisors. Somehow you will survive the semester and get that 3.0 you need.

Speaking of 2 a.m., that super fun party you want to go to? Go. Don’t make your team look bad or break team rules. But don’t forget to go out and have fun. Don’t be stupid with what you post online, and don’t go to jail. But you are only in college for four years, so go meet people and be social. Being a little hungover won't kill you.

Finally, enjoy these years. They will go by in a blink of an eye, and you will be sitting at your Senior Day wishing you had more time. Your teammates will see you cry, laugh and sometimes maybe even puke. These people will become more than your best friends, but your second family.

So, make sure to bring candy on road trips, always have a pillow pet to snuggle, take lots of pictures, and enjoy the crazy ride.