College is an environment full of emotions, drama, papers, tests, and independence. For me, this was all a new experience for me. Despite the rough moments, the lack of sleep, and the unceasing worry about homework getting done, I was able to end my first semester of college with lots of fun memories and experiences and plenty of lessons learned.

Living on-campus has been a fun experience for me so far. From the campus-managed dance parties to the various late-night runs with my friends, I've been able to acquire some great memories. I've made many friends and with them a lot of memories. I won't ever forget the time I went to BoomShaka and hurt myself, or forget the times that I've spent with my friend Kianna. One of my lasting memories was the Portland Service Immersion trip, which I highlighted in my previous article. Trips like these are a great way to gain some lasting memories. There is so much I could talk about. But I can't pretend that college for me has been easy because that's not true.

"Good times become good memories and bad times become good lessons."
-Unknown

If I was given a penny for every life lesson I learned in college, I would be a millionaire. I could tell you that it is true that money doesn't grow on trees, or that you actually need to go to sleep at night in order to stay awake for your afternoon classes, but I won't bore you with things like that. Instead, I want to highlight one thing that hit me the hardest. I had thought that since I was in college now, I could do whatever I wanted to do, including stay up all night. I thought didn't need to follow any of the rules that I had at home but after about a month of this ignorance, I felt terrible and I was at an emotional low in my life. I realized that I wasn't taking care of myself. The rules I had at home suddenly made sense to me; they were there for my benefit. I realized I needed stability in my life. I needed to be eating healthier. I needed to be spending my time better. I needed a set routine for my daily life. I needed more sleep. Once I realized all of this, I began my task of restructuring the lifestyle I was living. I'm still not the best, but I've changed a lot, and I am able to wake up on time for class, and also pay attention during class. It is incredible how sleep can affect your college life so much.

My first year of college was full of ups and downs, but I would never want to redo it. I'm thankful for all the people who supported me, and I am looking forward to the spring semester, where more memories and lessons will be awaiting me.