Freshman year is a different breed for everyone when they first come out of high school.

You're away from home for the first time, starting to take classes that are useful, and living at a place foreign to you. It can be scary, I know this first hand. Lots of things happen during your first year of college that make it so hard. I went through my fair share of hardships throughout the year, but I also met some incredible people that saved me.

Here's a journey through my eight months away at school, and how it progressively got better.

August

Should this month even count since I moved in the 18th? Eh, I'll count it. Oh August, you were so weird. Moved into a dorm smaller than my bedroom plus another stranger living in there? SCARY! I realized I was gonna have to talk to people to make friends (shocker) and the my advisor signing me up for a 7:50 am General Chemistry class was punishment for somehow being a bad kid? Don't sign up for 7:50 am classes kiddos, it's the worst.

September

The first official month! Our campus had lots of activities so freshmen could mingle and talk to people but I still was terrible at it. This was when I realized I have zero flirting skills, so sorry boys I talked to at the beginning of last year. I'm actually super embarrassed over that. This is also the month I started track conditioning and I thought I was gonna die, 'cause damn that was a lot of running for a thrower.

October

The month everything started going very downhill. From meeting a boy that I thought was my husband (stupid girl!) to the roommate incident, I thought my life would never be the same. I got heartbroken twice within a week of each chaotic experience. Long story short, the boy broke my heart (duh) and my roommate was hospitalized for a week and I was left in its wake to pick up the broken pieces of my former self.

November

I think this was my turning point. I became so incredibly depressed and anxious I talked to my mom about dropping out. I wasn't as strong as I thought I was. With my commitments to track and school pulling me in every direction, I just didn't want to be at college anymore. Somehow, I convinced myself to just get through the rest of this semester I could transfer back home and everything would be okay.

December

I was honestly barely holding on by a thread. After Thanksgiving, we just had a week of classes then finals then back home. I could do this. I ended up straining my back from doing weight throw which sucked majorly, but at that time I didn't even care. I just wanted to be gone so bad I saw it as a blessing (sorry coach). But I finished strong and got to be home for an entire month so I was happy for once.

January

Back to school. I really didn't want to go back, but I decided I didn't want to transfer back. I didn't want to become that person. This is also when I pledged to my sorority and my outlook forever changed. This is when I realized it wasn't just me desperately trying to get through, I had a whole family to push me through.

February

Here is where I started coming out of my shell. I had to talk to people due to the sorority but that was the best thing for me cause now I see someone I know every time I'm on campus. I'm really starting to do better in my classes and in track.

March

This month was pretty much the same as February but I was definitely a bigger social butterfly. I finally got to go home after more than two months away, which was so needed. At this time I also met someone who greatly widened my music taste (thanks Clay) and we were in outdoor track which meant HAMMER TIME aka the better of all the throws.

April

I was thriving. No longer was I this sad, pitiful girl, but loud and bursting with energy. I was happy. I am still happy. And I'm excited to go home for three months, but even more excited I decided to stick with it and come back for my sophomore year.