Dear Freshman Year of College,

You were my dream. You were my nightmare. You were what I spent countless nights thinking about, wondering whether you would be filled with friends and fun, or riddled with homesickness. There was a bit of both, but you were a year where I found myself, and learned that going to college meant much more than moving away from home.

You took me by surprise, since I turned out to be a young woman who could handle the stress and sleep-deprived nights that you were filled with. You seemed at first terrifying to me, where I could not fathom the thought of living away from my family for more than a night, let alone an entire semester. You would creep up on me and make me feel lonely, because starting at a new school with no friends was not something I had ever been used to. At first, I wondered whether you were out to get me, or if we were just going through a love-hate relationship.

I soon learned that the latter was true. You began to open up to me, letting me find friends that I will keep for the rest of my life. You introduced me to activities that I will spend the rest of my four years loving. You let me blossom and become independent while knowing that home and my family would always be there to support me if I was going through a rough patch.

You taught me that drinking more than three cups of coffee in one day would not have a good result. You taught me that my own happiness and self-worth are much more important than that of anyone else that could tell me differently. You believed in me enough to give me a chance at exploring the world outside of my childhood "bubble".

You proved to me that bucket lists would result in more fun that I could have ever imagined. You showed me that someone would give me a note just saying to stay happy and "smile" before finals week. Lastly, you allowed me to see that life is meant to go out of your comfort zone, and I promise that I won’t let you down.

Sincerely,

Mel, the sophomore