Think back. Four years, to be completely exact. You were in the same position you are in now, but trust me, it was way more juvenile back then. You spent your summer doing a few of these things: telling all the older folks where you had decided to go to high school (some didn't even have a choice of schools), connecting with the people whom you'd be spending the next four years of your life with, wondering where you'd balance out on the social scale, and beginning to work with a brand new sports team or club. Let’s be honest here—the summer before high school was completely nerve racking.

For me personally, it was quite terrible. I had a gut feeling that what was ahead of me was going to be a little less than charming.

I've always been an independent person. I seriously believe I've been ready for college since kindergarten, and I believe that there are plenty of guys and girls who feel the same way. During these last couple weeks before move-in and the start of school, promise me something—don’t start worrying. If you have been worrying, stop it. The most boring, awkward, and pointless part of your educational career has come to a close. This is the real deal now. I haven't even had my first college experience yet, and I'm already confident that it's going to be entirely different.

For starters, you get complete independence. You won't feel as if your teachers are breathing down your neck as you wander around the ever-so-monotonous school, making sure you get to class on time and sit in the back so that your least favorite neurotic teacher doesn't make you feel like an idiot.

Secondly, if you don't want to deal with drama, you can steer clear of it. The campus is expansive, and that means you can easily dodge the haters (if there even are any “real” ones...haters are so high school).

Lastly, you're focusing on your degree. You don't have to take calculus and anatomy if you're an English major, and you won't have to take music and drama if you're a nursing major. Again, this is just another example of the beautiful personalization provided by the collegiate life.

On a final note, don't stress about move-in day, sorority/fraternity rush, or that first week of school as a whole. They're all going to be fun and empowering learning experiences, and you will get through them. Even if something doesn't go your way, try to broaden your mindset and see how you can grow from its occurrence.

Most importantly, don't forget to have fun. If you're like me, you can barely remember high school because it flew by so fast (which was nice). Take chances, as long as they're safe, smart, potentially beneficial, and reasonable. Step out of your comfort zone. Show the world the real you. You might have felt insignificant in high school, but that's not the case now. The field is just ahead of you, so treat every day like it's game day, and navigate through the next four years of your life feeling victorious.