Both years were pretty confusing and busy. Everyone knows that being a freshmen in either high school or college makes you a newbie, walking the halls or paths of campus - lost. You don't know where this classroom is or where this lecture hall is. You don't know how to submit online homework, or what the penalty is for not handing in an assignment - detention, getting a zero, both, or absolutely nothing at all for the moment. I remember the first days of my freshmen years just like they were both only a week ago.

My first day of my freshmen year is high school was obnoxious. First of all, I wanted nothing to do with the school I was enrolled in. I hated Catholic school and thought that going back to public school would have been much better. I sat on the left side of the bus, about two or three seats back in my uniform. That hideous, annoying, unnecessary uniform. I had been used to wearing pants and flats, not plaid skirts with penny loafers. Ugh, kill me. Stepping off the bus was also annoying. I walked into my high school wishing that I wasn't there. That first day, I had to ask seniors where classrooms were; one of them actually sacrificed her time to bring me to my first class of the day. Still, it was a little embarrassing to ask people where to go, especially in a school with just two main class buildings at the time.

That first day, I had to endure a painfully boring speech from our school's assistant principal. This guy was obsessed with saying "I don't want this school to be the best in town, or the best on Long Island. I want this to be the best school in the world!" Boy, I feel bad for my little brother who is now a freshmen there. I'll never forget rolling my eyes and nearly falling asleep during this guy's speech. Although I guess it's difficult to sleep whenever he talks; he's louder than someone screaming with a megaphone.

My locker just happened to be a bottom locker. Having to wait for one of the bratty queen bees to finish packing up would take forever. Friends weren't really my concern on that day; I honestly didn't care if anyone wanted to be my friend. I was focusing on how to transfer schools after that first year. But then I met some of the first few friends at that high school, some of whom I stay in touch with to this day. Coming home from this first day of freshmen year was just a grueling as going to school. I had to look like I was happy as could be after my first day, or else I would've broken everyone's heart.

Fast forward four years and it's my freshmen year of college. You'd think that I'd be excited and overjoyed to finally be going to the school I'd worked so hard to get into, being an out-of-state kid. But I wasn't too happy. I was just as lost as I was in high school, maybe even more. I had to go to this stupid two-day freshmen orientation, which was a serious waste of time. I did meet a couple nice people, but I never saw them again after that week being that this university has a thirty-six thousand student population.

I missed my family, I missed my boyfriend, I missed my house, I missed my bedroom, I missed my summer, I missed the familiarity that I have at home. And that's exactly what college helps you get over a little bit - the familiar surroundings of your hometown. While I'm thankful for that right now, how I'm currently able to get around my school with no problem or anxiety, I was terrified and not in the mood to be three thousand miles away from my home.

I woke up in my dorm room in this new place, painted with bright colored-buildings and bikes everywhere at 6:30 am. Ridiculous, right? The breakfast for orientation was at like 7 am. I could have skipped that, but I was hungry. I walked around with this group of students, playing cliche name games and other activities, trying to be excited about this new place.

But the truth is, I wasn't. I was not excited. I was in culture shock. This may sound melodramatic to some people; then again, I'm guessing you might not be as far away from home as I am when I'm at school. Or it could also just be that people are different, which is fine.

I wanted to go home. I wanted to return to my life at home, with everyone that I care about. I didn't want to read the student handbook or go to meet-and-greets. I was just too lost...again. Just like high school.

After those first days in high school and college, I was happy. In high school, I made friends, went out and had fun, got good grades, joined some fun things, and grew up into the person I am. In freshmen year of college, I adjusted gradually after that first day, I made some amazing friends, went out to explore the free life of going out at night without having to text anyone where I was or what time I'd be home, and I also got some pretty good grades after realizing that a college GPA can end up being important. I got to do the things that I wanted to do. After this first day in college, I believe that I grew into the person that I am now even more than I did in high school.

Missing my home and family and everyone else I care about never changed, and I don't think it ever will. But I'm thankful that I moved past that confusing first day and learned a lot.

You learn a lot on your first day of freshmen year, in both high school and college. Yes, both places are highly different, but the first days are pretty similar. You don't know where to go, you don't know everyone around you, you don't know what's going to happen. But I can guarantee you - all of you that are high school freshmen and all of you that are college freshmen - that it gets so much better.

First days are hard. Of school, of a job, of living somewhere...But don't worry. The first day doesn't last long. It ends in the blink of an eye, and you'll look back on it after you've adjusted to your new surroundings with some relief. Relief that you got it over with, and relief that you've been doing pretty well in this new place.