By the time high school was coming to a close, I was completely over it. I was ready to finally get to college, finally meet some new people, and most importantly, finally start over. I’d always been very outgoing but when I arrived on campus and moved into my dorm, for the first couple of weeks I completely shut down. I was content with hiding in my dorm room and avoiding people whenever possible. I was in a shell I’d pretty much never hidden in before...

I could’ve somewhat contently stayed like this for months, but thankfully: I gathered my courage and forced myself to get out of my room and make some friends. I joined any student group that remotely interested me. In other words I threw myself off a cliff into the deep end and prayed that purely by my instincts, I wouldn’t drown. I went through formal sorority recruitment and joined a vibrant sisterhood, and my friends in the chapter introduced me to even more new people who became my friends. It always takes me awhile to warm up to new people despite being mostly extroverted; I guess that's the introverted part of me.

I found my own voice and my new college identity, which is a much more truthful version of myself. College has taught me that the person you were in high school really doesn’t matter (like REALLY), and that being concerned with what people who are irrelevant to your life think of you is a waste of time and effort. I’ve stopped apologizing for who I am and it’s been a transformative mechanism freeing me to be more honestly me. My “self-proclaimed crew” likes me for who I am, for all my bizarre nerdiness and quirks. They don’t make me feel embarrassed for the things that make me unique and I don’t feel like I have to dilute myself in order to fit in. Giving yourself permission to be yourself is freeing. That's why it’s extremely important to find your people in college: You will find your family and you will find youself.