Let me start off by saying this was not my original living plan at the beginning of my sophomore year. On the flip side, this experience has been the best and most eye opening one so far in my two and half years of college.

I can say it is definitely not the easiest, especially how it all happened so fast. To tell the truth, at the beginning, I was scared and cried a lot. Now almost a year later, I am thankful to be where I am in this very moment.

I have become very independent over the last eight months, which makes it a complete change from 2015 to 2016. I use to hate doing things alone including grocery shopping and eating meals. Now, I do mostly everything by myself. No, that does not make it a bad thing or a depressing position to be in. Two years ago, when I was a month or so away from starting college, I would have never imagined having my own apartment in my favorite city. Now, here I am, almost a junior in college and 20 years old, living by myself.

In the beginning, I was having a hard time adjusting to living by myself and not always having someone around. Some of the things that made it easier were getting cards in the mail from my church family and family. It always brightened my day and helped me know that everything was going to work out just fine.

On of the new experiences that come with moving into an apartment is cooking. Well you see, I did not really know how to cook. Before living there, I could only cook or bake about one thing each. I could cook scrambled eggs and bake chocolate chip cookies; everything else was either microwaved or sandwiches. As the days turned into months, I began to cook more and more, but still can only bake one thing unless you count fries and mozzarella sticks as baking. I started cooking mashed potatoes, chicken, pork chops, baked beans and hamburgers. The first meal I cooked on the stove was chicken and mashed potatoes — best supper ever!

One of the top and most exciting things about being in an apartment is the fact that I got to decorate how I wanted with no collaborating with anyone else. Quotes hanging on the wall, bookshelf loaded with my favorite books, picture boards and frames, cute shelf with mementos on them, and amazing furniture. The space is an open floor plan, but one I love!

Every situations has highs and lows, but that is what makes it an adventure. This past year has been nothing short of an incredible blessing.

So if you are uneasy about moving into your first apartment, do not worry because it is all going to be all right. Just breathe, pray for strength and always know you have the support of your family!

"Welcome to my adventure," is the first saying I hung in my new apartment, with the date October 12, 2015 written under it.