The summer before my first year of college was one of research. I was obsessed with knowing everything. I tried to figure everything out before I got there in hopes to my make my transition a little easier.

If there’s one thing I learned from all that—

It’s that you can’t possibly know everything.

This is not a bad thing. It’s important to be forced to try things and grow as a result. However, there are a few things I wished I had known. I don’t consider myself to be an expert on the topic at all, but I think I have some pretty decent insight.

It’s hard to believe this was only a year ago, as I feel I grew up so much in such a short amount of time. So, for all incoming freshman, here is my advice to you:

First and foremost: It is normal to feel homesick!! I felt so out of place when my first two weeks of college were miserable. I missed the comfort of home, my family, and my hometown. I seriously considered (without my parents’ knowing) the idea that I should drop out and move home.

This is drastic, but I’ve never been one to do anything halfway. Regardless, it is normal. It is completely normal to cry, and miss your family, and want to go home. But that brings me to my next point:

Do not, do not, go home.

I was “lucky” enough to live far away enough from home that this wasn’t even an option. And with my athletic commitment, this was seriously not even an option.

I am so glad it wasn’t a choice for me, because I know I would have wanted to go home in a heartbeat. Going home would have been great, but it would have made coming back even harder.

Don’t leave for home before a scheduled break! It makes the time at home so much more valuable.

Finally, my biggest piece of advice, one that I’m so glad I stuck with:

Give it a year.

Before I left for school, my parents and I sat down and had a serious talk. It was no secret that I was (and still am) a homebody. We were all a little worried about my transition to school, and my parents didn’t want me to throw in the towel to early.

So, we came up with the year rule.

No matter how miserable I was, or how much I hated school, I was required to give it a full year. Things can really change in a year. The first two weeks, and even the first semester is not a very good indication of the overall experience.

It takes time to feel comfortable and find your place in a new community, but once you find your place, there’s no place you’d rather be.

For all future freshman, consider yourselves lucky. You are about to embark on one of the coolest experiences. I hope you enjoy your first year as much as I did.