I went to college with high hopes and big dreams. I had the life I made for my future college life made up in my head before I even graduated high school. I was going to become best friends with my random roommates, join a sorority and make even more friends, breeze through a business major, and the list goes on. But, obviously, life has its own plans for you sometimes. However, even though my big dreams have transitioned, they are still alive and well.

I chose to go to a school that was close to home but not a short drive down the road. I don’t regret attending The University of Central Florida, at all. But, my first semester hit me hard. Was college supposed to be this hard? I thought this was the best four years of my life.

I enrolled in classes as a pre-marketing major, I moved into the student housing complex I wished for, and I rushed a sorority that I truly loved and life was good. Then it all came crashing down. My roommates and I began to bicker, to the point where things were not fixable. They would purposely throw my food away, leave our apartment trashed after a night of partying…on a school night, I should add. I loved my sorority but I was finding myself not being able to manage or prioritize my time.

I had to remove myself from the situation and drop the sorority when my grades started to plummet due to poor time management and well, college coursework is difficult. My dreams weren’t working out, at least in my opinion at the time.

I picked myself up and brushed myself off. I took a step back and changed my major, which was the best choice for my college career. I immediately saw a change in my grades and my mood, I was enjoying school more. I moved out of my toxic living situation and moved in with my boyfriend. That is a whole other discussion that many people did not agree with me on.

But, at the end of the day, do what is best for YOU. I began to have new dreams for myself, that were working out and still are. So, I guess what I am trying to say is that don’t ever think that you can’t come back from a major setback. You can be better. You can change your life even when you feel like it’s all crashing down. No one said that it would be easy, especially college. I’m not sure if I would agree with college being the “best” four years of your life, but the most transformative four years of your life.

So if you're like me, and want to plan your life down to the minute, I ask you not too. I encourage you to take each day at a time. I encourage you to be happy with what you are given and even what is taken from you. Sometimes, the plan you have made is not what the big man upstairs has made for you.