Congrats, you made it. So take a minute and breathe. Writing college essays, answering endless "where are you going?" questions, and figuring out how to decorate your dorm room—it's all over. The college hype is finally reality.

But it probably still doesn't feel like home. It's odd, I know. You eat dining hall food that is subpar to mom's homemade cooking. You want to text your high school friends, but you're supposed to make new friends too. You're expected to know how to approach professors, even though some of them are intimidating. You need to find out who to hang out with on the weekends. College is different than anything you've ever experienced.

Behind the forced smiles, college is probably a little scary too. Every freshman puts up a front that they have it all together. They look like they've found friends, study well, and spent time outside of their dorm. But in reality, they're all going through the same thing as you—change, confusion, and inconsistency. Take that to heart and know that you're not alone.

Honestly, there's no one "right" way to approach freshman year. I could give you the advice that's already been drilled into your head (get involved, stay on top of classes, etc.), but you already the know that. But I'm here to just reassure you.

Freshman year is one of the biggest times of growth and learning that you'll ever experience. The more you invest into the people and place around you, the more you'll get out of it. Know that it's normal to be lonely sometimes. Know that you don't have to find your best friends in the first month (or even semester). Know that there is purpose for you to be in this dorm room, in this college, in this city. You may not see it now, but college will contain some of the greatest memories, people, and experiences (as cliche as it sounds).Be reassured that college is supposed to be full of change. Eat meals with that random girl from calc class, hang out with people who aren't in college, and don't spend every night watching Netflix. Getting outside your comfort zone will be the time you will have some of the best years of your life.