My freshman year of college was nothing like I expected it to be. Everyone tells you that college is supposed to be the best four years of your life. During senior year of high school, you dream of parties, going out whenever you want, living without your parents' rules. But then reality kicks in. Don't get me wrong, college is what you see on TV, but only sometimes. No matter how you live your freshman year, whether it's out partying almost every night or in watching Netflix, you'll definitely learn a lot about yourself.
To freshman year,
Thank you for teaching me how to handle the next three years of college academically. I've learned from you that studying isn't how it was in high school, that is you can't study for an hour and be good for at least a B on a test. I've also learned that APA format is way more difficult than it sounds and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Thank you for teaching me how to be independent. While I still call my mom whenever the slightest thing out of the ordinary happens, I've learned a lot about how to live on my own. I've learned that eating meals is much more difficult when you can't go downstairs and eat whatever your mom cooked for dinner. I've learned that budgeting money is important because between eating out and gas money, a paycheck doesn't last very long if you aren't careful.
Thank you for teaching me that it's OK to be afraid. You've taught me that it's OK to not know where I'll be in 10 years. I came in with a plan for a specific career, and after my first semester I was ready to switch to another path. College is filled with so many different opportunities, from social clubs to volunteer work and research opportunities, that I'll find my way eventually.
Thank you for showing me who my real friends are. You've shown me that those who really care about you will keep in contact and be there for you, no matter the distance. Those friends that were there for me when I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore are the ones I have to keep around for the rest of my life.
Thank you for teaching me how to pick myself up. There were many nights, especially during the first few months of the first semester, that fear and anxiety hit me like an 18-wheeler. There were nights when all I wanted to do was go home and curl up into my mom and dad's bed and cry like I did when I was a toddler. But as I sat in my dorm room, next to my roommate that I barely knew at the time, I realized that the only way that things would get better is if I picked myself up and changed my own attitude on my hardships. And I did.
And thank you for helping me to grow from a scared kid, to a young adult ready to conquer this big, scary world.
