When freshman year of college rolls around, it is understandably a little nerve-wracking. Yes, the first week (or month) is filled with awkward introductions, activities, and a lot of huge transitions, many cliches that I have always associated with freshman year of college.

Personally, I assume that everyone will have to experience some sort of "transitional period" going to college for the first time; what I didn't realize, before this past week, was that this period of transition doesn't fully go away. It comes back for the first week of sophomore year, too.

As you can already probably assume, I, like many others, went through that weird stage at the beginning of freshman year where you are just trying to find your place. However, a couple months in, I like to think I moved out of that phase; I found friends I loved to hang out with, clubs I finally joined after always wanting to in high school, and activities that I loved getting involved in.

I stayed in this great stage of college all through second semester, too. I met more people, definitely took advantage of the state of independence college has to offer, and kicked some ass in my classes. So, when I left for summer break, I was really sad to leave the home I had created, but excited to know I would be coming back in a few months.

This past summer, I had been looking forward to move-in day for weeks- I was excited to be living with a bunch of my friends in a larger suite than I had had my freshman year, and to see everyone that I had missed over the summer.

I cannot stress enough how glad I am that I established such a positive life for me at school. That said, it isn't just puppies and rainbows-- the new year comes with changes for everyone, not just the freshmen. While the first week is definitely a period of transition for freshmen, it is a period of transition for a lot of the upperclassmen as well. Not only do upperclassmen have to get used to completely new living arrangements and classes, but the oh-so-scary life after college becomes one year closer, a prospect that both excites and scares the crap out of everyone.

I am not saying that freshman year is not a huge time of your life. Without my freshman year, I wouldn't have the great friends I have now. However, since so much emphasis is put on the transition freshmen will have to make when they come to college, I was expecting for my transition back to school for my second year to be a breeze. I thought that even though I would be living in a different dorm and taking different classes, the new school year would pick up right where it left off last spring, like I had never even left.

Now, after a week, I understand that's not the case. While I do have all my amazing, fantastic friends I met last year (and the most awkward and difficult parts that come with freshman year are over), I have to get used to living with new people, using my "academic" brain for the first time since May, and missing my family after spending three months with them. I have to once again establish a routine that I can get used to and be comfortable with, because the one that applied to my freshman year is now a little outdated.

However, with all this said, because of the life I established for myself last year (after all the most awkward and difficult transitions were over), I don't doubt that I can do again. While there are definitely things I still need to adjust to, I am extremely excited for this new year, one that I'm expecting to be even better than the last.