Dear Beautiful Incoming Freshmen,

You may not realize it yet, but you’re about to not only start a fun exciting new era in your life, you’re about to change and grow up a lot within the next 10 months. You are either terrified or simply excited, maybe even both! You’re away from your parents, which is very bittersweet at times, and you’re going to miss all those high school friends back at home, and of course your pets.

This is college! You’re about to go to college! You get a fresh start and they say you’re about to meet amazing friends, and possibly your next partner you want to spend the rest of your life with. It’s all stressful how fast this is happening, but relax and breath. You’re going to be just fine.

In just a few months you’re going to learn that the person who you thought was your best friend back at home, was really just another memory. The boy you met a few months into first semester, isn’t really going to be the love of your life, and yes book money will take up half your summer's paycheck.

I never really understood what people meant by changing in college until I reflected back on this past year. You are truly about to be tested in ways you can not study for. Your faith, relationships, and motivation are put to the challenge.

Being away from family has definitely been different, but what really makes it worse is when you’re sick, struggling with emotions or school, and they aren’t there for you to pick you back up and tell you that God is with you. For me this past year, I emotionally hit an all time low and I started to become angry with God and wonder if he was there, because to me it really did not feel like it.

So what do you do if you find you’re questioning your faith through the toughest times? Go see a campus counselor and talk it out. Everything is confidential, and they will never judge you. My counselor has given me amazing advice and has motivated me to keep my head up, to keep praying, and guess what! Everything turned out just fine. In fact, I felt I got closer to God. So stay positive, and stay hopeful.

Whether the relationship you are in is with your significant other, a best friend from high school, or your parents and siblings, they will change. I know many people who walked into college with boyfriends/girlfriends and many did break up. Now don’t freak out, because a few did stay together and found a way to work things out. Just remember that it’s so important to be in a healthy relationship with someone, and if you find yourself not wanting to talk to them, always being frustrated with them, or if you always feel hurt, walk away. You’re still young, and you have other things to worry about.

Now friendships, I myself have had amazing friendships throughout high school, but out of the seven best friends I have I only talk to two now. Nothing bad happened, but life changes. You’re busier, you could be in different time zones, and you have new amazing friends now that are with you right on campus. Always look back at those friendships you once had as a great memory and never be afraid to hang old photos of them on your wall in your room.

Then there’s your family. Take in every hug, every annoying chore order, and every bite of that last homemade meal because you won’t be getting that for a while. You won’t always know what’s going on inside the house anymore, or who said what to who at mom's work, or if you have to make tacos for dinner because Dad really wants tacos. You’re going to miss those little things, and being apart can be very hard. So take it all in and know when you come back not only will they cry, but you’ll sigh in relief of the amazing feeling of being home.

No one likes an eight a.m. class, and when that one professor in one of your other classes is being extremely hard on you, on top of five papers being due in two days, you just want to scream into your pillow, and go to sleep because let’s be honest here, the last time you had a full night's rest was some time when you were five years old.

You’ve come to the point in your life where you decide if you go to class or not, and that’s a very adult thing to do. So should you? Yes. Get up, throw on some clothes, and go to class because it is worth it. It is only a few hours of your day, and you know if you miss it, you’re going to have a very hard time making up what was lectured that day. If that isn’t enough motivation, some professors like to give pop quizzes and won’t let you make it up, so there goes 30% of your grade. You won’t regret going to class, and know that you can always take a nap later.

College is so fun, and I am so excited for these next three years, and I hope you’ll have an amazing time like I did. Just remember that you don’t need everyone to be your friend because you only need a few true friends when they are there for you for during the absolute best and worst times. Study hard, get close with your professors, and if you need anything always talk to an RA or counselors because that’s what they're there for. Remember to embrace all the time you have left with your family and friends, and keep your head up when life gets too hard.

So now beautiful, young, college freshmen, make this year one you’ll never forget, and know that you’re going to be an amazing young woman.

Sincerely,