To high school seniors soon-to-be college freshmen,

I cannot believe that almost one year ago I was in your shoes. I remember the end of my senior year like it was yesterday, not to sound cliché, but it's true. In about a week or two, you'll be sitting in your last class waiting for the bell to ring so you can run to your car and finally put high school behind you. You'll get ready for prom with your closest friends, maybe even your boyfriend or girlfriend, all of whom you assume will be in your life forever. You'll take hundreds of pictures with one another because in that moment you don't think any other day in your life could top this (besides your wedding, of course).

Finally you'll graduate, which at the time you think will be your greatest achievement in life. The summer before college, you'll attempt to soak up every last moment with your family and friends before packing your bags and moving away to school. You might expect time to freeze over all of these moments so they last forever. You might expect nothing to change in your friendships, your relationship, and even in yourself. What if I told you that you're wrong? Not to be pessimistic, but what if I told you practically everything changes, and hardly anything stays the same?

A year ago today, I was surrounded by a completely different group of friends, and was in a different relationship. Everyone changes when they go off to college, like it or not, considering it's the first opportunity everyone has to be away from home for extended periods of time. Believe it or not, you'll have a lot of free time to learn about yourself, explore your interests, decide what kind of friends you want, who you want to love, and so on.

Forget the partying; it adds no value to your life and frankly is a waste of time. I know this past year I have learned a lot about myself. I've had very high points and very low points during my first year of college, but ultimately I was able to find some light in every situation. My experiences at college so far have changed me, but into the person I was always meant to become.

In about a month or so from now, you'll realize that prom was overrated. You'll envision yourself walking across a stage one day in front of thousands of people to receive your degree, which took a hell of a lot more work to earn than your high school diploma. Some of us might even push ourselves in the years to come to walk across that stage a few more times to earn higher degrees.

Finally, you'll find yourself growing apart from your high school friends, and being perfectly content with that. You'll have new friends, who I guarantee will share similar interests with you. Of course, this doesn't mean you have to let go of your high school friends forever, but things will not be exactly the same as they were before you left. Besides making new friends, you might even find yourself in a new relationship. I know all of the above happened to me.

Not everyone's college experience is the same, and while I cannot say for sure this will be your freshmen year experience, I can offer one piece of advice: do not stay stuck in high school. Move on from the past, and explore the future. Hold on to all of your great memories from high school, but do not dwell on how much you miss that life. When you move away from home, whether it's only a thirty-minute drive away like me or hours away by flight, take a step away from your old life and focus on your new life.

Explore what interests you, and that doesn't only mean academics, but it can be. I am a double major and double minor, and am involved in at least seven or eight student organizations on campus. You don't have to fill your schedule to be as busy as mine is, or push yourself that much academically, but make the most out of your experience. College isn't necessarily meant to be the best four years of our lives because it does have its low points, but it sets us up for the best years of our lives to come.

So to all of high school seniors soon-to-be college freshmen, enjoy the time you have left in high school. Go to prom thinking it's going to be the best night of your life. Walk across the stage at graduation thinking you'll never achieve anything greater than this. Cry with your friends before you all go your separate ways.

“It's much easier to not know things sometimes. Things change and friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody.” ― Stephen Chbosky

Just remember, this is only the beginning of your life. You'll soon realize that high school was only one of many stepping stones to reach the greater things that are to come. College by no means is easy, but I promise you it will teach you a lot about yourself, and prepare you to live the life you were always meant to.

Best of luck,

A rising college sophomore