If you think about it, leaving your own home just to get up and live somewhere else is already kind of weird. But what about by yourself? Leaving to go live with an almost complete stranger, and go to a school that is larger than your own town and not knowing anyone in it. At first, when you look at the big picture, this is what it will seem like. But about a week or two in, your life will take a twist.

A week in, the place that you are now calling your new home is scary. It's nothing but a dark room where no one you know is around you. You feel like you're surrounded by complete strangers, because technically you are.

But that second week in is where it gets better. You begin to meet people and make friends. Your dark little room become a little brighter. You and your roommate get closer, and everything starts to come together. The people you called strangers last week start to become your friends.

Halfway through the year you begin to count down the months until you move out. Just so you will have the freedom of summer and classes are finished until Fall. Paper after paper, you start nearing the final semester. Every day is a stressful mess. Maybe (most likely) a few mental breakdowns here and there, and all you can think of is FREEDOM.

The final semester. You know almost everything. Around campus that is. You know every path, every short cut, and everything to do. Your new friends become your family and school just doesn't seem as dreadful. (until finals)

Finals week is here and one week until move out day. The days I have been counting down I want to reverse. My friends will be miles away and no longer down the hall. What I used to count down, I don't want to think about. My roommate became my best friend and lived with her everyday. Summer I'll be home with my family and no longer my best friend.

It's weird to think back to the first night here. I cried myself to sleep and actually tried to leave. I was already talking about transferring somewhere closer to home but I thank God everyday that I didn't because I would've missed out on meeting the amazing people I did. I experienced so much in my freshman year of college. Good or bad, tears or not, everything taught me something. In college, we mature as people and learn to live life on our own. Sadly, in a week I'll be leaving the place I called my new home. I got to know it so well it's hard to leave. My neighbors who live next door will no longer be a few footsteps away. Everything I got comfortable of knowing, is going away.

Until next year...

Thank you Ohio State University for a fantastic first year of college.