The first thing I'd like to say is wow. Just wow. We made it through all the years of grade school and the four years of high school, and now we're here at the beginning of the rest of our lives.

Alright, let me slow down because that's a really intimidating thought.

Can I just say that it's crazy how fast everything goes. One minute, you're sitting on a desk in your favorite teacher's class, and the next you're moving out of your house. Well, for the most part. And don't get me started on picking a college to go to. You think you might have a college in mind and it seems like out of no where, you're registering for your first seventeen hours of classes.

However, I don't have to tell you that. You all know just as well as I do. If you don't have a close friend to room with, all of a sudden, you're living with a stranger. If you choose the wrong major, you might have to stay another semester. And I shudder to think of what would happen if I flunked out.

But just like me, you know that it isn't all bad. There's so much still to be learned and done. You have your whole life ahead of you, and the possibilities are endless. That alone can be intimidating and inspiring at the same time.

We aren't kids anymore, no matter how many times your mother hugs you and calls you her baby. And it's not when you turn 18 you magically just feel like an adult, and admittedly, you probably still don't feel completely like an adult. And maybe you never will. But you feel a change. There's a shift in how you feel. It's subtle at first, but once you notice it, it doesn't go away. You suddenly feel the responsibility and the hope, and those are both great things.

There's so many adventures to be had, so much information to learn, so many friends to make. You can't always have it perfectly, but that's always how it's been. And sure, it'll be different, but different doesn't mean bad. And if you don't really know for sure what you're doing with your life, join the club!

We always think we have to have it all figured out, but we don't. We're new. We can listen to people that are older than us; in fact, I recommend it.There is wisdom in years. We can learn a lot from the people older than us. Not mention, do you remember what it was like being a senior in high school, and seeing those freshmen who thought they knew everything? I imagine being a senior in college is like ten times worse.

Lastly, I would like to say, it's okay to be afraid. I know what it feels like to pretend like you are brave and handling it, but it's okay to be afraid. It's natural. Change can be scary, but just because it's scary, doesn't mean it's bad. Don't think you have to have it all together all the time. Call your mom. Make new friends. Accept the things about college life that you weren't expecting.

But most importantly, don't lose sight of who you are. Even if you haven't figured out what it is you want to do, or you're mostly in college to find your soul mate, don't forget yourself. Because it's important to look to the future, but it's equally important to remember your past. Because if you're like me, you've chosen your major finally, education in my case, and you can look back and see your version of a seven year old girl playing school and teaching her stuffed animals how to read. Good luck, fellow freshmen, and godspeed. We can do it!