I’ve officially survived my first semester of college, my first round of finals, my first time staying up all night hoping to cram information about film directors into my brain.

It’s not a lot when you compare it to the amount of work that a senior has gone through, but for me it’s a sense of accomplishment.

I am the type of person to freak out about a lot of things, and the first semester of college was one of them.

I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be able keep up with my school work and my extra-curricular activities at the same time. I was afraid that my hopes for being involved in theater were going to turn into a flop. I was afraid that I wouldn’t make any friends.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Instead of all of my fears coming to reality, they instead completely flipped.

I hadn’t realized how my studying habits could change once I entered classes that I was actually interested in. In high school I was forced to take classes that had nothing to do with what I wanted to pursue in the future, and it drove me to the brink of tears because I was so frustrated. But the past four months or so have been difficult in an inspiring way.

Because I know that getting through them in a satisfactory manner meant that I was happy doing the work that I was doing. I made the right decision when it came to choosing what I wanted to learn about.

My extra-curricular activities did put some strain on my life. The three theatrical productions I was in during my first four months of college definitely was a tough decision, but one I would never regret doing. I learned a lot about myself and how far I was willing to go for something I loved. Which, in turn meant my dreams of being heavily involved in the theater department went according to plan.

My friends, let’s just say that I’ve made quite a few and I’m so incredibly lucky to have them in my life. They’ve helped me during times when I’ve wanted nothing more than a hug, and they’ve dealt with me when I’m running on three hours of sleep and two coffees. They are the people that I had hoped to meet during my time here, and I can only hope that they stay in my life for many years to come.

My first four months have gone by quickly, and they’ve gone by unexpectedly, and I’m ready for a long break, but I’m still excited to come back.

I’m excited to enter my new classes, learn more than I did before, meet new people, and discover new opportunities that only come during this upcoming time of the year.

I’m ready, and for the first time in my life, I actually can’t wait to go back to school.