Each new chapter of life is accompanied by its own share of challenges, obstacles, and accomplishments, and college is certainly no exception to that. Starting school at a university is incomparable - saying goodbye to your hometown, trading in the company of your family's smiling faces for a stranger's, and your suddenly expected bout of independence. It sounds like a great time, right?

Most of the time, it is.

The initial adjustment can be difficult, but nothing that can't be overcome (trust me, I made it out alive). Now about a month into my sophomore year, I can safely say that this year's transition period went much more smoothly. College is full of opportunities and more freedom than a young adult could ever know what to do with. It comes with an abundance of learning experiences, but that means it is also paired with mistakes. But hey, what better way is there to grow than to learn from your mistakes? Like everyone else, I have certainly partaken in my fair share of them, and that is okay. Nonetheless, there is one in particular that I still regret almost an entire year later, and that is

not getting involved on campus.

Yep, I didn't join any groups during my freshman year. It wasn't out of a lack of desire, anything you could ever be even remotely interested in, there is probably a group for it here on campus. Whether you were looking to enhance a hobby or skill you already have or trying out something completely new, the world is your oyster. I had all the best intentions, plastering my pinboard with flyers for the clubs and organizations I wanted to get involved with, but, I didn't follow through with a single one of them.

I couldn't let myself step outside of my comfort zone, I let the fear of rejection and not fitting in get the best of me. Ultimately, this hurt me more in the end than any kind of initial awkwardness that a new, uncomfortable environment could bring. Isolating myself made it increasingly harder to create new relationships with peers and mentors which made the start of my college experience that much harder. Being involved in a group offers a sense of belonging in an otherwise overwhelming number of individuals, something that I, unfortunately, missed out on.

Now, as a sophomore, I am trying again. Dragging myself out of my comfort zone and embracing each awkward, challenging moment with open arms - and that is the best way I've learned to grow from my mistakes. It's okay to have regrets, it just depends on if you have the courage to go out and change them - sitting here, writing this, and sharing it with an audience.

To all the college freshman or future college freshman, get out there and get involved, you won't regret it.