My freshman year may have not been what I expected, but it has shaped me to being who I am. Looking back now after my freshman year, I can see a change in me from when I started, I have learned a lot of lessons from when I started that has shaped me to be the person who I have become. Moving 12 hours away for college was a big step and one that I would not regret. I have had my ups and downs. I have made many mistakes but also made some of the the best decisions in my life. But in all of my new found experience, I still have more to learn. I have learned so many lessons that have helped shape me and that are the reason I survived my freshman year 12 hours away from home and in a whole new culture.

Lesson One: It is OK to be sad and cry.

Coming to college so far from home, I thought I had to be strong and not show that I was homesick and having trouble. I thought I couldn't show anyone that I have a weakness, such as losing my father years earlier because they would think of me as the girl who lost her father, or someone who was too emotional. I thought no one could know that I was struggling in class or with the distance or with the stress. “Never let them see you sweat,” I remember saying. Coming to look back at my freshman year away from home, I had moments where I was upset and would cry and would become upset with the schoolwork. Those moments are the reason that I made it through. You need let your emotions out and be ready to face the world.

Lesson Two: Being alone is not as bad as it seems.

Facing many issues coming in with moving dorms and not being able to joins some things you wanted, made making friends for me a struggle. I struggled with trying to find a way to fit in and to try to find my group or place, but to be honest, I never did. I still haven’t and my freshman year is basically over. I was alone a lot my freshman year. I am not going to lie, it can be lonely, but it also let me explore the wonderful city of Charleston. I explored the harbor, the beaches and the town on my terms. It let me find out who I wanted to be and helped a lost girl find out who she was. I was not the girl who lost her father or the girl who lived and breathed community service; I turned into the girl who loved history and the smart girl who people came to when they needed help.

Lesson Three: It’s not about how many friends you have, it’s about the quality of friends.

Coming here, I thought I needed to have tons of friends, but it really is about the quality over the quantity. I may have only a few friends in college and they may have more friends than I do, but they are the best people I could ask for. They are supportive and always there. I couldn’t ask for anyone better. I still feel upset when I see people with a huge group of friends going out or going to dinner, but at this point in life, I finally see that quality is better than quantity.

Lesson Four: It is OK to make mistakes.

I have made my fair share of mistakes my freshman year. It may be falling for the wrong guy or not studying enough for a huge test, but making mistakes is part of life. We are mostly in between the ages of 18 and 22 and we are bound to make mistakes. We are bound to do things we regret. I have done plenty, but we don’t let them define us or make us who we are. I have done some things in life and in this past year that I regret, but I have learned from each one. I have learned these lesson on my own and I wouldn’t have it any other way. People make mistakes, but they are not who you are.

Lesson Five: You don’t need to be a straight-A student, you just need to try your absolute hardest and you will get results.

College is hard. Leaving high school and going to college is a huge adjustment and the workload you have to deal with is enough to drive you crazy. I am not going to deny that I have had my fair share of crying over a paper or have been over stressed because of test the next day. I have struggled in classes such as geology and English that I probably should have done better. I may have struggled and been pushed to my limit, but I have worked my hardest. I am not a 4.0 or even a 3.5 student, but I do work hard to receive mostly B’s. I may have received some C’s and in the beginning of the year I would have been so disappointed with myself, but college is not meant to be easy. I worked my hardest and I am proud of my work and grades. It is possible to be a straight A student, I am just not one of them.

So I changed a lot in my freshman year, and all these changes and lessons I have learned, or the mistakes I’ve made, I do not regret. They have shaped me to becoming the woman I am today and shaped me into becoming a woman I am proud of.