The graduation caps have been thrown, your summer fling is over and it's finally time to go to college. How do you feel? Excited, scared, emotionally unstable? As for me, I didn't know how to feel. Not at least until I was surrounded by an empty room where I once hung my canvases and posters and called my bedroom. It was at that moment I realized my bedroom was no longer my sanctuary from my high school years, and I would finally get that "clean start" everyone was talking about. I watched myself go from nerdy introvert to blossoming butterfly in seven short days.

After clenching my sheets all night, with my eyes glued on the clock, the alarm set off at 6:30 am and sprung to the next chapter of my life. My car was already packed up to the max, trunk crammed with blankets, noodles, notebooks, etc. My parents followed my car to school in my dad's truck, and my sister had a car playlist blasting. Being the anxious freak I am, my palms were sweating profusely while screaming Adele's "Set Fire To The Rain" on the top of my lungs. After singing the whole way there, my heart pounded as I saw my hall's name.

Nobody can exactly tell you how much stuff is too much stuff to bring. I'd estimate 75 percent of my belongings I packed were string lights, pictures, decor, and pillows. You can never have too many pillows in my opinion. After the mile-long line up the elevator, I made it to my room. It reminded me most of a jail cell, but 2.5 hours later that side of the room would become my ultimate babe cave. My one tip for decorating your room is to bring a beanbag or extra chairs for guests. There is nothing more awkward than making people sit on the floor because the only place to sit is your bed. Personally, I don't particularly like a bunch of people laying all up in my sleeping area especially because every room is a hundred million degrees. I'd only met one of my four roommates prior to this arrangement so I had no idea what to expect. You can get stuck with the weird roommates who don't ever speak to you, or are never there or even some that hate your guts for no reason. But I lucked out. Having great roommates who are so similar or different than you is all the fun.

My first night was probably the best, of many. All the students in my hall are freshmen, so we were all clueless to where everything was. I think the biggest thing in helping me pop out of my shell was that nobody knew each other and were so welcoming. By seven o'clock, people were sticking notes on their doors, "We have Netflix, come in!" and things like "Anyone wanna play cards?" Nobody had their doors closed and it made me feel so welcomed, which made me feel more comfortable to socialize. There's always the annoying group of people who exclude people from the group, but everyone got the chance to talk to one another. It also helps when you have the best RA in the history of time (ILY CRYSTA).

Get involved. Do that. Sign up for this. In reality, you don't have to sign up for any clubs to get involved. I learned after playing pick-up volleyball games with my floor roomies every night, you just need to find people who make you smile. After games, we get ice cream and study by the pond, and just being invited to thing just really raises my self-esteem. Just find people who like you... and people who will run through the fountain with you.

I love you Oakland University. AND I LOVE YOU CARLY REHM.