As summer begins to wind down and the college season begins to start up once more, I find myself more passionate about what sophomore year has to offer.

My freshman year was..not the best experience for me and I kind of felt out of the loop with things. Friends around me who'd come back home had a tough time like me or a really great experience that I must've missed out on. Every other week was filled with ups and downs, like a rollercoaster that would never see an end.

There were days, a lot actually, that I'd cry to myself or on the phone with my parents, not knowing what to do. Did I really want to do any of this? These were definitely some thoughts I was having first semester, but second semester, similar thoughts remaining, I learned how much college has helped me.

Going to college in the heart of D.C. is an experience I know I can remember for a lifetime. I look back at my freshman year and remember how much I explored what the city has to offer. From the museums, to the protests, and many other hidden places, this journey so far has heightened my passions for the things I love.

Through the protests movements which, if you live in D.C., are constantly forming every week and even every day, I have stood up for people like me and stood up with people who believe in the same things I believe in. There's always new information I don't know at all, and being apart of this experience has allowed me to become more involved.

My passions for writing, photography, and traveling are put into motion as I set myself to explore what the city contains. The museums give you information so that one day you can become inspired or to not make the same mistakes others have.

Being a freshman in college, you learn to adjust. You learn that it's okay to make mistakes, but remember to try your hardest to overcome the setbacks. For me, learning to overcome the mistakes I did were difficult and made me feel down instantly, but I had help.

Even if they didn't live too far away or work too far away I had my parents who continuously push me into the person I know I can become. Without their help, who knows what would have even happened if they weren't there to support me and my decisions.

Regardless of struggling in the beginning to find friends who I could instantly connect with, I built friendships later on that I know can last for a lifetime. Friends who listen to my rants and who allowed me to become apart of their other friend groups.

So despite all the bad that may have outweighed the good, I've learned to build myself each day into who I want to be. College is an experience giving you a voice and a chance to figure out different aspects of yourself.

To the rising freshman, college will take time because it's not a straight path. College is a path that will take you through unexpected measures and test your ability to adapt to change.