My first year of college has come to a close. It is such an incredible yet shocking feeling. I have officially made it through a year on my own and I've learned more life lessons in this year than my previous 19 combined.

I came to college knowing a few people from high school, in a relationship and excited to start school with a clean slate. I am now leaving my freshman year barely having seen those friends from high school, single and happier than ever. Although I’m not done discovering my passions and self, I feel as if I have a better understanding of who I am, what I stand for and what makes me truly happy.

At first, I did not put myself out there, which is something I regretted but made up for in my second semester. I was comfortable in a relationship that was centered back home and wasn’t able to focus on my new life. Once that ended, I threw myself into many new activities. I ended up playing three intramural sports and met some really awesome people through it. I joined and actively participated in clubs that pertained to my future profession. I went out more and attended many campus events. And I became a writer for Odyssey, something I never saw myself doing six months ago. College is all about focusing on yourself and finding what's important to you and gives you joy. It's the first time in your life where all you have to care about is yourself, so don’t be afraid to be a little selfish. Not having to answer to anyone and being free to do what you please is an exhilarating feeling. Only do the things that make you happy or are beneficial to your well-being and future.

This is also the time when you discover that what other people think or say about you is completely irrelevant. And quite frankly, everyone is so busy with their own lives, nobody even cares what you do or don’t do. High school was very cliquey and judgmental, but college is a place where everyone is figuring out who they are and what they want to do, so there is no room for scrutinizing others.

Not only did I recognize more about myself this year, I also learned about others and some ways of the world. This included some harsh truths that needed to be revealed eventually. Such as, people will never care for you as much as they do for themselves. You’re the only person who truly has your own best interest at heart. Now you can’t let this realization stop you from trusting people, but always keep a little guard up because you may have a better heart than someone else and don't want to get hurt. People can also be very negative and attempt to bring you down or make you feel unimportant. Figuring out how to look past that and using it as a motivator is an important life lesson that I am grateful to have realized now.

Freshman year was filled with acclimation, new friends, unique traditions and a whirlwind of emotions, and looking back I know everything happened exactly the way it was supposed to. Having learned these valuable lessons now will better prepare me for the years to come, where I know I will acquire even more useful knowledge.

So goodbye freshman year. Thank you for the cherishable memories, guidance, self-love and happiness you've instilled in me. And hello, summer!