One year ago, I tightly wrapped my arms around my loved ones and buried my face into their shoulders, tears welling up in my eyes. I greatly feared the unknown; not knowing where life would take me throughout my first year in college, not knowing whether the person holding me in that moment would be holding me in a year from now-- it was almost too much for me. Saying goodbye to the girls I had known since elementary school and to the three people who had helped me grow into the person I am today was terribly difficult. This small town and these people were all I had known for nineteen years and now I somehow had to find the strength inside myself to say goodbye for nine months. I didn't think it was possible. And then it was.

It was possible because although we were physically apart, these people that I called my best friends and family had each earned a special place in my heart and I in theirs. My family knew me from the inside out and my friends and I considered each other soulmates; we were practically the same people. When you watch each other grow up through the awkward middle school phases and experience all of the adventure and hardships that comes with being a teenager, it's hard to forget that or throw it away because of mere distance. When I realized that my soul was connected to those of my loved ones, I knew that I had the strength to dry my eyes and let go.

So, to the freshmen currently experiencing the same situation, hear me out--everything will be okay. As my grandmother says, "This is not goodbye, only farewell." You will see your loved ones again. It's important to say goodbye to everything you've ever known; it's the only way to experience the world and grow as a person. You've built a solid foundation at home, but now it's your time to bloom. Remember, your loved ones are only one text, phone call, email, or Facetime away. Schedule a time during the week to talk to your family and friends and update them about your new college experience. And if you're anything like me, send out some "snail mail;" there's nothing better than getting a handwritten card in the mail, especially on a day when you're feeling homesick.

Freshmen, I'll leave you with this: wipe your tears, bid your loved ones farewell, close the door behind you, open up the door to your future, and keep walking.