I remember the very first night I spent at college in the beginning of the fall semester, unsure of what was awaiting me in the year to come. For the first time, I was away from my home state for more than a week and away from my family, separated by over 1,000 miles of American land. On one hand, I loved it and could not believe that I finally had the independence that I had been yearning for. On the other hand, though, I was scared and nervous about how I would make friends, do well in classes, and survive by myself.
Little did I know how much of a roller coaster ride this year would be! While there have been many times where I felt lonely or unsure about being so far away from home, I have had many, many more positive experiences and I would never take my experiences back in a heartbeat. Going to college in Louisiana has taught me so much about what it means to be independent and self-sufficient. I have learned to be responsible by doing nearly everything by myself and I have learned that my responsibility is the key to my freedom.
The most important lesson that I have learned from my first year in college is that I am capable of anything. No matter what feat I want to accomplish, I am very much in charge of my own life and have the ability and resources to shape my future as I see fit. I have also learned not to take other people's judgment to heart. My life is simply my own and I will do what I feel is right--even if people don't quite understand it. What is most important is that I understand who I am and that I feel I am successful in my endeavors.
If I could say anything to the "first day of college" Jerry, it would be that everything will be OK, no matter what. There have been many times when I would get frustrated that things weren't going according to plan or that I would not reach a goal I had set out for myself, but it is in these times when you have to cut yourself a little bit of slack. If you know you have done your absolute best, then that is certainly good enough, and you can learn from the mistakes you have made. Each and every mistake made is just another way to learn how to navigate this world better and become a better version of yourself.
I am definitely going to miss Louisiana this summer, but going back to New Jersey is going to be beautiful. Seeing my home state again will bright back wonderful memories and comforting feelings. And I have to remember: I will be coming back to college in the fall, so there's no rush.
