So this is where it begins. You actually get to go to college. You get to move out of your parents house and you get to live by your own rules. Hell, I’m not kidding when I say that college is a blast, but college is also what you make of it. You might think that it’s going to be scary, and that you don’t know what to expect in the long run, and to be quite honest- majority of that is true. But here’s the beauty behind that truth- all the bad is a part of the journey you are about to begin.

You might be pretty stoked, or you could be scared, but guess what- you should be excited. Excited beyond your wildest dreams that you get to finally get the hell out of high school and enter an entire new universe where there are hundreds and thousands of new people who have no idea who you are. You’re going to meet new people, make new friends and try new things that you’ve never even thought of before. You’re going to get to experience your own life controlled by you and you alone- and what’s more exciting than that?

Now I get that you’re probably scared. I was completely terrified the day that I moved into my dorm with all these other people that I had never met before. I was worried that no one was going to like me and that I would never actually make any friends. I was terrified at the thought of being forced to meet new people and actually figure out what the hell I was going to do with my life in the long run, but honestly, everything I was afraid of ended up not being such a big deal after all.

The truth is- everyone in your freshman dorm are going through the exact same things you are. You’re not at home anymore. You’re meeting new people and making new friends. You’re trying new things. You’re studying and taking classes you’ve never even thought about before- but it’s all a part of the experience. It’s all a part of the experience that you create for yourself. Take it all in. Make memories.

You might make mistakes, do something you don’t like, make some bad friends, or take a class you don’t like. Maybe you major in something you end up hating or maybe your roommates don’t end up being your best friends but at least you’re living your own life, and everything can be changed. The thing about college is, if you don’t like a situation- change it. You’re now going to be fully in charge of taking care of yourself- so make yourself happy.

So you might think some of the stuff you’ll have to do as a freshman is stupid, but seriously- go to orientation and make some friends. Go to the soccer games or football games. Get involved in a sports team or club. Go adventuring and explore your new home on the weekends. Meet new people. Try something new. You’re going to surprise yourself and you actually might end up having fun.