Timehop ... That little yellow app that sits next to the ungodly amount of social media widgets on my phone. Is it something about you Abe-- the tiny blue dinosaur that draws me to press on you or is it just the endless laughs that come out from reading the content within?

I check this app daily and reminisce on my hilarious "happy one month babe <3" posts on Facebook from past relationships that were doomed from the start, tweets complaining about how "my sister has been in the shower for 45 minutes and I still look like I've crawled from the pits of hell," the selfies I posted on Instagram when we thought the duck face was THE hottest thing known to mankind-- okay, okay you caught me I'm still a guilty user of the duck face-- BUT besides the point, sometimes Timehop lays a good one on you. That one post that sheds some light and appreciation on where you are in life today.

"1 YEAR AGO - TUE

*Twitter Icon* 11:52pm

'I'm starting to wonder why I decided to leave NC and come down here away from literally everyone.'"

Silly, silly me.

Senior year I made the grand decision to venture off into the great abyss-- college. I flew the coop and decided to go down to the University of South Carolina-- coop ... pun intended ... Go Cocks-- where I knew absolutely no one. I had toured the USC campus once and destroyed my prior dreams of attend UNC Chapel Hill despite my acceptance. I wanted to get away and I wanted to get away bad. Two hours and 50 minutes, 143 miles, and the word Carolina no longer entailed blue or Tar Heels.

The first few weeks of college were nothing like the whimsical fairytale I had expected them to be. Move-in day sparked the uncertainty. As I watched my family unload all of my boxes of belongings, I felt a sense of panic. This was it. This was my far away. I was no longer a resident of Pinehurst, but rather a visitor from time to time. Columbia was my home. This 12x14 foot box was now my room of which I would have to share with another person-- if only I had known then this person would become my best friend.

Classes start. Sixteen hours at the time doesn't seem like a lot until you begin to have your exams. Studying? I never did it in high school, but when your grades come down to 4 exams you realize how crucial it is after you receive the first grade back-- not so hot.

I would look on Snapchat daily and see my friends hanging out with one another at ECU, UNC, NC State, etc. and I began to question why I wanted to separate myself from the only people I had known all my life. My friends were my security blanket, when I was feeling down I always had at least one there to pick me up. At USC, I felt so alone.

I questioned transferring for several weeks, I would put up a front that I utterly loved my school to everyone who asked just to mask my uncertainty at the given time. It was scary being so conflicted while also being too prideful to actually admit my depression. During this time, I thought my decision to attend USC was possibly the biggest mistake of my life.

I know many freshmen probably feel the same way I did just a year ago today, but I look back at these times and laugh. How could I have ever second guessed my decision? Leaving home was the best decision I ever made. During my freshmen year, I found me. Someone I had never actually known before. I was given a fresh start, a clean slate. I blossomed and I found friends that love me unconditionally. My roommate became my biggest support system as we talked about our current struggles. To my surprise she had been feeling the same way as me for quite some time. Realizing that someone 5 feet across the room from me was experiencing the same doubts helped me to realize I wasn't alone. I can't promise the same things for you, but at the end of the day I'm just trying to say-- trust your gut and give it some time. Take advantage of your freshmen year, don't self-loath! If you're feeling unsure, speak up-- talk to the people around you. Nearly everyone is leaving home for the first time and a lot of them are strapped to the same emotional roller coaster as you. South Carolina has brought me opportunities and friendships that I couldn't have ever imagined and I hope that you find the same at whatever college you attend. Make new friends, study hard, find yourself, and find a place you'll be proud to call home.

Peace, love and Forever To Thee!