I can't put into words what it was like to think that my life was about to end.

One second, my good friend Claire and I were driving to Chicago, listening to one of our favorite musicians that we had just heard live and eating McFlurries. It was a Friday night, the concert we had just seen was unbelievably good, and even the ice cream machine at the McDonald's we went to was working. What more could anyone ask for?

The next second, my car was horizontal and in front of a semi, and we were being pushed down the interstate.

I don't know how long we were like that, but I just remember thinking, "This is how people die. It could happen any second." I felt a mixture of pure terror and helplessness.

And then we stopped. We were on the shoulder, pinned between the median and the truck. My windows had shattered. But Claire and I were completely fine – she had some minor scratches, but that was it. I couldn't believe it, and I still can't. I didn't cry until about 30 minutes after it happened when I talked to my dad.

We were lucky in every way, and I've thought that so many times since the crash. So many things that could've (and maybe even should've) gone wrong, but they didn't.

The first day back at school was the hardest. My mind constantly wandered back to that moment, and I was generally anxious. I was basically very overwhelmed with emotion – my perspective on life had changed, but it didn't seem to me that anyone really grasped how serious the situation was. Everyone expressed how grateful they were that Claire and I were alive and I really appreciate that. I'm so happy I'm even able to see the people I love again, but it's difficult to put into words how I wanted them to react.

I'm not thinking about the accident as much now, but I'll get flashbacks a few times a day that make me feel shaky. The sight of a semi, whether it be on TV or real life, makes my stomach drop. I recently heard about a head-on crash that happened on an interstate by my hometown in which both of the drivers died, and I felt like I never had before when hearing about a car accident. All I could think of was how scared they both must've been, and how I, for the first time, truly understood that. My heart broke for them.

The main thing that's helped me is understanding that even though I walked away injury-free, what I went through is still a traumatic experience. And I feel like I've learned a lot from it. I'm trying to focus on that and the positives.

I've also talked to multiple people who have told me about experiences they've had that were similar to mine. I've found it's not that uncommon to go through something that makes you fear for your life, and that's comforting in a way – I know I'm not alone in this.

I don't know if I'll ever fully get over the crash, but I know I'm going to try to look at it in the best light that I can. I now understand how delicate life is and how much it should be valued. I'll also now be an advocate for semis always checking their blind spots.