Attention all college freshmen out there making a new life for yourself whether you’re out of state or if you’re minutes from home. College, being exciting and new, also can come with worries and doubts. Being from California, I found myself coming to Michigan State not knowing anybody, nor the area and the campus. All of my friends from back home went their separate ways to new states, meeting new people, making new memories and leaving our past behind.

We all left something behind to start this new journey, but what if you start having doubts? With Snapchat stories, Instagram posts and clever tweets, everybody looks like they’re having a good time. And in those moments, you think you’re the only one who is slightly missing home or is somewhat unhappy in your new life. Here are some truths about going to college for those who are dealing with these same emotions:

1. Even if it looks like you’re the only one missing home and the only one not completely happy in your new environment, you are not alone. Yes, people will post a Snapchat story at the huge party they’re at, or post an Instagram when they're out having fun. But in reality, nobody wants to post the bad parts of life. No one’s going to post that they want to go home or they miss their old friends and memories. People, in our nature, don’t want to admit when we are struggling or when we’re unhappy. So, know you’re not alone if you’re feeling those emotions. The perfect college appearance on Snapchat isn’t necessarily the reality.
2. You will make friends, but keep in mind it does take time to establish the life long friends that know everything about you. In high school, for four years (if you were at the same school for all four years) you were with the same people. They were the ones who were there for all your family troubles, relationship issues, injuries and heartbreaks. High school was very closely tied to home because of how involved parents were in students' lives. To hang out with each other, friends most likely gathered at family houses where the parents would meet and get to know everyone. And when there were problems at home, your friends knew about it. Yes, personal relationships are made in college, but in my opinion, they are harder than in high school. We are all away from our family problems at college; we are away from our old life and put into an environment to make a new one. People sometimes forget to really know each other and how their family situation is, what they truly care about in life, or the simple things that make them happy. We can all get caught up in wanting to go out every night and have fun with people who ultimately know so little about you.
3. Doubting is okay. If this feeling never comes, then you are one of the lucky ones; but some will regret their college decision. The number one rule: don’t think you’re the only one doubting whether you made the right choice or not. In high school, we like to think we have it all figured out, that we know who we are as a person. Going though life more, we find that’s not the case. We constantly grow and learn more about ourselves. We learn more self-values and start to figure out an idea of our future. And a high school view of the future is different than a college view. So if you think the path you took isn’t the right one, think harder about it. If your thought remains the same, alter your path.

When you go off to college, keep in mind it’s a hard and difficult transition, especially when you are going alone. Open yourself up to new opportunities and a new you. Know you’re not alone in your emotions and doubts, and remember that you know what’s best for yourself.