Dear Freshman Year,

You actually flew by a lot faster than I thought you would.

I remember move-in day last August and meeting my roommates hoping that we'd all be best friends.

I remember being so excited to decorate my room and finally be on my own.

I remember nervously walking into my first class (which was actually an Arabic class to make it worse) and not knowing what to expect.

I remember being worried that I wouldn't be able to find my way around campus, and I'd get lost.

I remember the friends I met my first few weeks of college and the first time we all went out together.

I remember not being sure about going through sorority recruitment, but doing it anyway.

I remember being so sure of what I wanted and who I was. I really thought I had it all figured out.

But I realize now that I didn't have the slightest idea about what was to come. I had no idea that within my first year my entire life would change so much.

I realize now that I had no idea who I really am or what I really wanted.

I always thought that I'd be one of those students who didn't end up changing their major, but I did.

I always thought that I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, but I had no idea.

I always thought that I'd never be the sorority type, but I am.

I always thought that the friends I met my first semester would become my best friends, but they didn't.

The truth is, going into college you don't know much of anything. You don't even know yourself.

You don't realize that you have the world in your hands and the power to do what you want with your life.

You don't realize all of the possibilities you have.

You don't realize that who you were in high school probably isn't who you really are.

You don't realize how much you don't know about yourself.

And that's OK.

Freshman year is about learning all of the things you never realized you didn't know. It's about self-discovery. It's about starting your journey, wherever it may take you.

It's about having your heart broken and learning to put it back together yourself.

It's about being confused and frustrated and really just not knowing what's going on half of the time.

It's about making big decisions and making wrong decisions.

It's about making big mistakes and regretting them for the next month.

It's about realizing all of those things are OK.

It's about losing who you thought you were and finding who you really are.

It's about realizing that you have more time than you think if you manage it right.

It's about learning from your mistakes and making the best of any situation.

It's about becoming independent and being able to stand up for yourself.

Looking back at last August, I would have never imagined my life being how it is now. But being honest, I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's a rough ride, but that's what makes it interesting. That's what makes the entire journey worthwhile. If you can survive your first year of college, you can pretty much survive anything.

So, cheers to freshman year.

And cheers to the years to come.