After graduating high school, I was bombarded with people telling me that the next four years were going to be the best coming years of my life. I was excited, super excited to finally open a new page and move on from the bad blood in high school.

I had absolutely everything at home: amazing friends, amazing family, the cutest puppy and a boyfriend that was my best friend. I didn't know why I wanted to leave everything behind but, I was just super excited to meet new people. Your "forever friends" that you read so much about.

As the summer started coming to an end I felt as if I was being forced to want to move on with my life. You truly find out who is willing to keep a friendship going without having to see you every day from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., when you start to leave for college. I started to get really depressed thinking about the many friendships coming to an end just because we were all going to be apart for 6 months. It really made me want to crawl up in a ball- but also made me want to escape. I finally packed up my things and got ready to be a college girl-independent and living off of my meal swipes.

Ever since I was little I lived in a small room across from my parent's room, never having to have to leave for six months like this. My parents weren't just three steps away anymore. So as they tiptoed out of the door of my freshman dorm I couldn't help but fill up with tears. I realized at that moment, I really wasn't ready.

If you really don't like being alone, make sure you take the time to talk to your roommate diligently to make sure that no matter what you'll stick together. People do have separate lives but, make sure you have someone that feels the same way as you. I often found myself alone in my room staring at the ceiling, filling up with tears waiting to go home for the weekend. It sucked, and it just made me rethink my decision to move away.

I was always an outgoing girl, I was very well known in my two schools that I attended. Since I was always used to being well known, it was super weird adjusting to being the new girl. I realized college was different—there is no popular group. You make friends, and you'll feel popular within your group. It's very calming....if it's easy to make friends for you.

I also had to make a huge decision in my life that had to do with a sport that kept me positive, in incredible shape, brought me great friends, and ultimately kept me happy. You can read how that decision played out in my very first article.

I suffered from depression, and I found myself borrowed in my blankets or in my boyfriend's shoulders more than I really remember going out. It was really sad to watch myself completely transform into a completely different person. I was absolutely miserable- and I blame that for my losing friends. I completely distanced myself from people because I was so scared to rub off on them.

Coming home for the summer was like a breath of fresh air. College was a nightmare- but within every nightmare, you wake up the next day. So, there is a happy ending to this. Although I did hate my first year of college, I am returning back because I refuse to let what happened the year before defeat me. During the closing of the year, I met two amazing best friends that made me go out, and I actually felt like myself again.

Advice?

DON'T CLOSE YOURSELF OUT! Everyone is new, everyone is searching for friends. Reach out to the people in your classes. Make friends, and don't be scared to just be yourself. You will 100% meet friends just like you and don't give up. You could just be like me... just when it starts getting bad something good comes out. Also, GO OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. I can only really remember the days that I was crying at my wall more than the ones that I went out and had fun. So if you don't have an exam... go out!