I know the place you are in.

My freshman year, I assumed for the entire year that I would finish classes in May and then return to my parents' house for the summer.That's the flow, that's how people do this college thing.

But I was certainly wrong.

With the support of some of those around me, I chose to stay on campus, to be independent for the first time in my life, living alone and working two jobs for the entire summer.

I was only 18. I was scared, but I was excited.

It was kind of like a Taylor Swift song where she embarks on an adventure and paves her own path, but it also was definitely not.

I really didn't know what I was doing, honestly. I was scared to sleep in my room alone at night knowing that there were only two or three other people in the entire building I was living in. I made sure the nightlight in the hallway was plugged in because breaking up the darkness was key to keeping away fear.

I watched a lot of random TV shows and movies from the public library.

I went to work at the school library every morning and went to work at a discount clothing store on most evenings and weekends.

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I relished visits from friends and outings. One time I even went to walk around the mall just so I could be around people.

I didn't know what to expect from living alone, kind of like an adult. I can't even begin to describe how it felt. It was everything: happy, terrifying, sad, lonely, angering, and I still was filled with curiosity.

And now it's your turn to begin. Welcome to the club of students who have wandered off on their own, away from their family and some of their friends. Welcome to the club of those fashioning their way in the world in a way that is slightly different than the norm.

It is everything.

Be happy, be sad, be excited, be scared. Whatever you feel, feel that.

It's okay to cry yourself to sleep and it's okay to be so excited about your adventure that you can't sleep.

It's okay to ask for help from co-workers and people you hardly know. It's okay to decide to spend a day in bed.

You will learn a lot. You may not feel like you are learning anything, it may feel like you're a fish just flopping around on the ground without water, but you will learn.

It may feel lonely, but trust me, the people you work with, maybe even your sweet boss, really do care about your wellbeing. Don't build walls and expect other people to break them down. Allow yourself to open up to those you interact with about what is going on.

Get some hobbies. Take yoga classes, start running, find a book club, take tumbling classes, join a sewing circle for Pete's sake! Do anything to discover yourself. Try everything you can within reason of adequate rest.

You have a story to tell and this decision is probably a part of it. It isn't an easy choice. Your family may cry, you may cry, people may get angry, and a ton of people won't understand. Heck, you may not even understand what you're doing and why.

Even if the only thing you learn is that you can make good choices for yourself, that is enough.

If I hadn't stayed over the summer for the first time (and each summer after) I would have never gotten the job I currently have, the job that I love.

If I hadn't stayed over the summer, I wouldn't have learned my special brand of independence.

If I hadn't stayed over the summer, I wouldn't have discovered quite so much about myself.

Staying doesn't mean you hate your family, it doesn't mean that you're stupid, it just means you're staying over the summer. That's it.

So experience it all. Dive in. Do it. If it doesn't feel like anyone is on your side, know that I am, and then look for people who are on your team to support you. Without those people in my life, I would have never made the choice I made to stay.

You make good choices, whether you stay or go home, so OWN them!