I remember exactly what it felt like a year ago to begin the crazy process of moving out of your childhood home into your new and exciting dorm room. The uneasiness of not really knowing what to expect or what to really prepare for created so many butterflies in my stomach. Then the anxiousness of meeting all new people and attending a school that had a larger population than my hometown did was just as intimidating. I remember being really excited for the change that going off to college brings, but I more vividly remember being scared. Scared to be on my own, scared to leave my high school friend group, and scared that I wouldn't love college.

I remember the somewhat clueless feeling I had for the first two weeks of being on campus. I remember not knowing where to go during welcome weekend, and not really knowing a single soul to go out with. Campus maps quickly became my best friend when classes started, and I didn't even dare try to master the bus system until mid November when it was too cold to walk. I especially remember calling my mom 10+ times a day to vent about how overwhelmed I felt.

Eventually, I found my niche on campus, and campus became my home. Now, heading into my sophomore year of college (pinch me, I can't believe I'm that old already), I have never been more confident or excited for what this year will bring. I'm excited to live in a house with my best friends that I was so lucky to find my freshmen year. I'm excited to tackle welcome weekend; knowing exactly where my friends and I will go. I probably will still need to look at a campus map for classes (it's a huge campus, don't judge) but I won't be nearly as stressed out about finding them as I was last year.

I hope every freshmen who is getting nervous about move in day can get a sense of peace knowing that those anxious and nervous emotions are completely normal, and by sophomore year move in day, you will laugh at how clueless you were. This unknown campus will quickly become your home that you'll be sad to leave for four months when summer comes around.

I learned so much from my first year of college, and it went by even faster than I ever imagined it would have. But most importantly, freshmen year taught me that so much can happen within the course of a year, and that makes me so incredibly excited to see what my sophomore year will bring. To the incoming freshmen, good luck! To the returning sophomores, let's do this!