Dear fellow college freshmen,

I'm not quite sure how it happened, but somehow we are almost done with our first semester of college. College! It's still crazy to think that we have even begun the part of our education we have spent the entirety of our lives preparing for, but now we are about to be 1/8th of the way done with it. If you're like me, you're still have pretty much no idea what you're doing with your life and are still learning the ins and outs of college. Although I have about zero authority on the subject and am still just as confused as you are, I'm here to tell you that it's totally okay; if so many of us are feeling the same way, it must be normal right?

First of all, I want to congratulate you all (myself included) on making it this far. We have gotten though a lot, including the awkward and arguably horrible time of our college careers known as "Welcome Week." I personally have blocked out the entire thing, but after scrambling to find a place at our schools and talking to anything with a pulse, we managed to join some clubs and find at least a few good friends, which is actually quite an accomplishment. We were plucked from our comfortable hometowns and thrown in with thousands of strangers, but we found a way to make it work. By now you've also learned many of the secrets and traditions of your school, so you're probably no longer walking around like a clueless freshman (believe me, I still have my moments). If you're a BC freshman like me, you've learned the cheers for the football games, the meaning of the red bandana, and the magic of taking the parking garage elevator instead of the million dollar steps.

Since we moved in we also started real college classes, and are making it through. We had a limited amount of time to adapt to our classes, which are no doubt much different than our classes in high school. There's no more asking "Will we ever have to use this in real life?" or if we can have class outside. Now classes can have upwards of 200 people and a class may have just three grades per semester. These changes can be incredibly stressful, but you should also be proud of yourself for figuring it out and adapting to this new classroom environment.

As December rolls around, it's time for two of everyone's favorite things: registration and finals! If you haven't gone through registration yet (like me) you've heard rumors of this beast, and even better; at BC you get to do it on the same computer program used by our parents back in the '80s (retro chic?). While we had an advisor walking us through the process at orientation, this time we are lone wolves in the vast, uncharted territory that is registration. I'm clueless too, but I'll share some of the wisdom I've received: make sure you have a bunch of classes you want to take in case some are closed, and don't be upset when they are closed. Freshmen are usually given the worst pick times, so we already know we are getting the short stick. Just be prepared to go with the flow and remember, there's always add/drop week (bless).

Even after you finish registration, it's not quite time to rejoice in the holiday spirit because we can't forget about finals! Midterms seemed to start and then never end, so you've definitely taken some college tests by now, but the name "finals" just packs a bigger punch. It's your last chance to maintain (or fix) your grade and there's a ton of pressure packed in just before we are released for an entire month. I go through very distinct phases where one minute I feel totally fine and prepared for finals, and the next minute I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown when I think about them, but I have to tell myself that it will all be okay, and it will be for you too! You know yourself the best; study as much as you know you have to and also make sure you know exactly where and when your exams are (seriously, quadruple check that stuff). The bottom line is that while they are extremely important, finals are just more tests and all you can do is try your very best.

Overall, be proud of what you have done since the end of August! You're making your way through one of toughest transitions there is in life, and while the college life definitely isn't perfect yet, you have accomplished more than you may realize. So keep your chin up through these next few weeks and remember to take it all one day at a time. Good luck during this final stretch and happy holidays!