There you are, the summer before you start your freshman year in college. Whether you are going to community college, going in-state or even venturing out-of-state, your life is about to change. College is a time like no other, and it will most likely be one of the most memorable times of your life. You will go through experiences that only someone who has been to college will understand. You will inhale knowledge, diversity, creativity, innovation, change, and much more as soon as you step on campus. Is there any way someone could possibly prepare for this?

My answer is no.

I'm sorry if I just crushed your dreams of this article to be some sort of key to unlocking the secret knowledge of what college is and everything there is to know about it. The truth is, every college experience is quite different, and you never know what to expect. No matter how many articles like, "10 Things Every Freshman Must Know Before Starting College", or "The Ultimate College Packing List", or even "How to Effectively Study For College Classes" you read, you will never be fully prepared for college. As previously said, each college experience is different, and therefore, you can't simply Google how to survive yours.

College is a time meant for finding yourself and becoming an individual. It is a time where you finally get to make the decisions for yourself, and because of this you end up discovering who you really are. You have the opportunity to start fresh. You can quit listening to what the in crowd wants you to do with your life, and you can do what you want to do with your life. After all, the future is now staring you in the eyes. Please, take advantage of this time in your life to try new things, to break barriers, to go beyond your comfort zone. Stop worrying about other people and what they may think about you.

I can tell you from experience that everything you read about how others made it through their college experience will not help you. Personally, I wasted much of my summer before freshman year doing what you are doing now--opening an article that you hope will give you some kind of direction. I did my homework, but before I knew it, college was right there and I was lost. That is how it is supposed to be. This experience puts you into a situation that only you can pull yourself through. If you allow it, college will show you things like how strong you are, how intelligent you are, how much you can handle at once, what you don't like, and who you want to be in this world.

So, as ironic as this may be, I encourage you to prepare for college by not trying to prepare. Instead, enjoy your last summer without responsibilities. Make memories with friends that you may not get to see as often once the Fall comes around. Spend quality time with your family and loved ones. Remember that there are so many different places your life can end up and you have the ability to decide where that will be. Learn to know and love yourself, but most importantly, know that you can do this.