I've officially finished up my second year of college—meaning I'm halfway done with being an undergrad. It's surreal and crazy to think about, and I know there are many others who feel the same way I do.

I wanted to make a physical list of "firsts" I've experienced throughout the 2017-2018 school year because I think with being so close to going into the "real world" that it's important to make sure you're living your life to its fullest (sorry for the cliche) and growing as a person before work is the main priority.

By writing down my new life experiences, I can do that for myself and I can always have it to look back on. This isn't my full list, but I've included four of the most influential things I went through for the first time from this past year.

1. Living in a sorority house.

This was something I never could've imagined myself doing a few years ago. I lived in my sorority for the entire school year, switching rooms/roommates at the semester. I know the thought of living with 60+ college women is completely unappealing to some people, but I think knowing that this was something I'll never have the chance to do again in my lifetime made it very special.

I was able to get to know some amazing women and become really close with people I didn't even know at the beginning of the year. There was always someone to borrow clothes from or ask for a ride, and I truly felt like I was living with a bunch of my real sisters.

However, the main thing I will say was difficult to get used to was making the sleep schedules of four different women who were sharing a room work—there were some nights I got limited hours. Overall though, I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. Also, having a chef was a very nice perk.

2. Friendships

First off: I'm not writing this section because this is the first year I've ever had friends (it's my second, thank you very much (kidding)), but because I had a very unique year when it came to friendships in general.

I had never lost a friend to anything other than the typical growing a part/lack of communication before, but that changed this year. It was a very complicated and tension-filled situation that I still feel weird thinking about, but these sort of friend "break-ups" are experiences that I know many people go through at least once in their lives.

I believe it really puts everything in perspective and makes you think about if what happens is for the best, which is an important reflection.

I also grew in a lot of friendships this year, which was lovely. It's kind of a known thing that it becomes harder and harder for most people to make friends as they get older, so I'm really glad I was able to overcome that general rule. And although it may be more difficult, I think the relationships are so much more rewarding because you're more aware of who you are as a person and what you want in a friend.

S/O to college for that opportunity.

I ended the year with a different friend group than I started it with—and I'm OK with that. Of course, there were some people I met and grew to love and some that have just always been there, but I think in general my friendships all matured. I feel more like an adult.

3. Near-death experience

I wrote an article about the car accident I got in earlier in the year, but I think this list wouldn't be complete without acknowledging it. I was in a pretty low place right after it happened—I was sad for myself, for the other people that have gone through the same thing (and who didn't come out of it as unharmed as I did) and anxious.

Now I'm driving anxiety-free (except for when getting passed by a semi) and I've come to terms with what happened. It changed my perspective on life, and I'm very thankful I have a friend that went through it with me that I can always lean on.

4. Writing consistently + reporting

The Odyssey Online has been such a great platform for me in that it's a creative outlet that I've used to make creating content a habit. It's so hard to get yourself to stick with it when it comes to writing, so I'm very happy I've found a way to hold myself accountable.

I also took my first couple reporting classes this year, and it's been so rewarding to see all of my work come together at the end of this semester. I reported on the beat of women and gender this past winter/spring, and even though the amount of work and time I had to put into it was pretty heavy, I loved it. I feel like I did some pretty solid investigative work, and I know my future career will be one I truly enjoy.