It's official. My freshman year of college has come to an end. Earlier today, I handed in my last final. As I walked back to my dorm, it didn't seem real. At times, the days crawled by and the weeks dragged on forever. But as I look back now, it doesn't seem possible that the next time I step on campus, I will be a sophomore.

From a very young age, I've been excited to earn a degree in education. Volleyball has been a lifelong passion of mine that only grew during my days of playing at St. Henry. Being able to pursue both of these in college was a dream come true. I couldn't wait to begin this new adventure. However, before leaving for college, I felt a lot of apprehensions on how this experience would go for me and whether I would really enjoy my time at Ohio Northern.

I can clearly remember the day I left home and headed for college. It was really hard to drive away on that rainy Monday. Growing up as a kid, I spent a lot of time with my family and I knew leaving them would be pretty hard on me. Even though I'm reluctant to admit it most of the time, I really do love my parents and brothers. My family is my everything. In those first few weeks at college, I missed them a lot. I cried some silent tears every now and then. I thought about them every day. As I made friends with people on campus and things started to feel more like home, I began to really enjoy the new rhythm of college life.

Classes were overwhelming at first. It's a little different than high school in regards to student responsibility. In college, it's up to the student to pass the class. If you fail, it's on you. You are 100% accountable for your own success. Professors don't hold your hand and monitor the time you spend studying outside of class. As a student, you can use the methods of learning that work best for yourself. If you want to study a little every night leading up to the exam, you can. Otherwise, you can pull an all-nighter to cram at the last minute. For some people, this independence is a train wreck. For these students with no self-control, they often dropout after the first semester. But as long as you are determined and hardworking, you will undoubtedly find a way to succeed.

Now on to the dorm life. Things might go just how you expect when you move into your dorm room, or there may just be one surprise after another. The door may be too swollen to open unless you throw your whole body at it. The air conditioner may be nonexistent. You may borrow an AC unit from your coach, but you may be unaware that you need to drain the water until it leaks all over your carpet. Things may fall off your walls and make loud noises as they crash to the ground in the middle of the night.

When winter comes, the heater may act like the air conditioner you wished for a few months back. As the room becomes cold, the door swelled up from excessively hot temperatures will begin to rattle as it shrinks back to its original size. Dorm life may not be your best experience, but you will learn to make the best of it and enjoy all the struggles of surviving. I can honestly say that my first semester of dorm life was a little rough at times, but I loved the challenge of living in Stambaugh. Even though I wasn't crazy about living in a dorm without air conditioning, I'm so thankful for the time I spent in Stambaugh. I met some pretty amazing people that I will forever be grateful for.

When I visited Ohio Northern for the first time just over two years ago, the thing I loved most was the people. The students on campus seemed to hold themselves to such a high standard and carry themselves in such a friendly way. As I said my goodbyes these past few days, I realized the quality of people I had met. I believe that in order to be a good person in life, it's so important to surround yourself with good people. Human beings are so heavily influenced by those around them. If you reflect on your own life, you may realize that you pick up on the habits of those around you.

By the end of the first semester, I began to think, talk, and act exactly like my friends. When I went on a spring break trip with my roommate, I could literally finish sentences for her. I usually knew exactly what was on her mind. My main goal in life is to be a good person and to be a positive, happy influence on those around me. In my first year at college, I spent a lot of my time with selfless people that would do anything for anyone. Sometimes it's not always what you learn in class or learn from reading your textbook, but the things you learn from the people around you.

Freshman year, you were full of highs and lows. I'm grateful for everything I learned in classes and the unintended lessons I learned from moving away; but most importantly, I'm grateful for the time I spent with people that went out of their way to be an example of the selfless person everyone strives to be. Freshman year, I'm going to miss you.