The summer after my senior year of high school was such a crazy time for me. I made it through high school and I was going to be in college in less than a month. People constantly asked me if I was excited to start college, but at the time it was a question that I did not yet know how to answer. I mean, college is a big deal! I was going to be living alone for the first time, I had no idea who my roommate for the summer was, I was not going to have a car on campus, and I would know no one. These were fears that I allowed to consume for about a month.
When I got to college, I went through the typical procedures of picking up my room keys, getting my student ID, and attending orientation. For the majority of those two days, I was with my mom who helped move me in to my dorm room. That first afternoon, however, she went back to her hotel room in town and I was left alone for the first time. That night, my residence hall hosted an event where new residents could mingle and meet each other. To be honest, everyone looked a little uncomfortable. That was when something in my mind finally clicked. I was not alone in my fears. Everyone looked a little uncomfortable, and I realized that that was okay. I was embarking on a new journey in life all on my own. It was normal to be a little scared and worried. However, it helped to know that I was not the only one who felt this way. Knowing that almost all of us were feeling the same way helped quiet my fears and even make new friends.
Now that I am about to start my junior year, I look back on some of the fears that I had and I can't help but laugh at myself. I was so worried that I would get lost on campus, not make any friends and get extremely homesick. However, all of those things that I was so worried about were resolved within my first week. I met amazing people, my roommates were awesome and I loved the feeling of being independent. Plus, it's always comforting to know that my parents are only one FaceTime call away.
Although new adventures can be scary, I have had to learn the hard way that you can not give your fears the power to control your life. Being away from home, you will learn so much about who you are as a person and what you are capable of. Your friends will become your family away from home and you will build some of the strongest relationships of your life. So you're going to college! Don't take a moment for granted. Go to games, join clubs, go out on a Friday night, escape from your comfort zone and don't let these years pass you by. These past two years hold some of my fondest memories, and I can't wait to see what these next two will bring.
