I never thought that eight months could feel so short, but here I am, sitting in my room at home in Connecticut, already done with my second year of college and thinking how it felt just like I just moved in yesterday. Somehow, I was able to get my shit together enough to piece together the few classes I actually attended to create a cohesive block of enough information to use to pass my exams, bid good riddance to empty cabinets that were maybe filled with a lone peanut butter jar and a box of pasta on a good day, and try to keep the tears to a minimum when saying my goodbyes to my friends (update: it was hard). Finally, it is hitting me that I am halfway done with my college career, and although it might seem like just yesterday that I was freaked out about moving to a city where I didn’t know anyone, I'm officially over the hump and have realized that I actually (kind of) learned a lot in the past two years. While I am in no ways qualified to give any sort of advice on how to get your life together because, as my friends can probably attest to, I certainly do not have it all together myself, I think some of the pieces of wisdom I’ve collected are universally applicable to anyone who is moving out of their comfort zone, regardless of how prepared they think they might be. Here are a few of those revelations.

You will have moments of doubt.

Coming to a new place is, in no other words, terrifying. Unceremoniously shoved into a life where you are fully in charge of not only the next year of your life but also your entire future, I’ve learned that there is no way to avoid feeling like you are completely and utterly out of your league. However, I’m here to tell you that while this feeling may crop up every now and then (like when signing a real person lease on a real person apartment or finally declaring a definitive major), you learn to deal with it and, most importantly, learn that everyone else is feeling the same way. Don’t freak out.

You will have to try new things.

It sounds cliché, but only because it’s true— you have to step out of your comfort zone in order to make the most of your time at school. Luckily, navigating college alone is usually enough for most people, but whether its trying out a new activity or just talking to people when you’re normally shy, do it. You won’t regret it.

You will grieve for a life that you no longer have.

College has a way of making nostalgia a constant emotion. If you are lucky, high school, while filled with rough patches, was a great time in your life. My high school friends are people who I will love for the rest of my life, and realizing that even if we are all home for breaks it will never be the same as it was before we graduated was really tough. The good thing about this is that college is even better than what you previously had. Do I miss being with my friends from home all the time? Absolutely. Would I trade meeting my other best friends, having all the freedom in the world and moving to a city I love just to keep things as they were? Not a chance in hell.

You will get disappointed.

Disappointment is, unfortunately, unavoidable. You will have friends you thought you were close to fall out of touch, or meet someone who turns out to be very different than you originally thought. The good thing about this is eventually you learn to take everything in stride, and realize that shit happens, so don’t worry too much about it. Eventually, you end up with the right people doing the right thing for yourself, which is all that really matters.

You will learn new things about yourself every day.

The possibly most clichéd thing that can ever be said about college is true and I hate myself for even saying it, but you actually do end up learning a lot about yourself (go figure.) College is a blank slate— you can do whatever you want, try new things, meet new people, and create a whole new life for yourself. Through many (and I do mean many) instances of trial and error, I figured out what I probably want to spend the rest of my life doing. I learned that, honestly, there is no way to make myself less of a dad but that I am now very okay with that fact. I learned that it doesn’t matter if people like what I’m doing because if I like what I’m doing— as long as it’s not hurting anyone else-—that’s all that matters. Most importantly, I learned that I am so much more capable than I thought I was, which is an awesome feeling. Learn to rely on yourself for your own happiness rather than other people and it will allow you to make it through everything life or college throws your way.