Time really has flown. It seems like just yesterday that I was moving into my freshman dorm and learning to navigate the halls of academic buildings at Liberty University. Now I'm halfway done with college (where on earth has the time gone?), and after this summer I'll finally be an upperclassman. The past two years have definitely been tough, but nowhere near the torture I had heard college was supposed to be. As cheesy as it may sound, these really have been the best years of my life. I've made incredible friends, enjoyed new experiences (including hiking and exploring downtown), and expanded my academic pursuits (a HUGE thank you to all of the professors who have challenged me to explore new subjects and push past my comfort zone while making learning a joy).

That being said, I've watched myself grow a lot not just by being in college, but also by changing from my freshman year to my sophomore year. Things didn't stay exactly the same between the two years, and that's okay. Both taught me a lot, and while sophomore year didn't have the same newness and luster of freshman year, it more firmly cemented who I am and where I'm going.

On the bright side, I have found the amazing joy of loving my major. I always feel sad for those who hate what they're studying and despise going to class. College has certainly been difficult, but as I moved into taking upper-level English classes during my sophomore year, I found myself enjoying sitting through class periods and working on papers. Not every single moment was a joy, but I am confident that English is what I should be studying. I now know that I love it and will stick with it until I graduate – and ultimately make a career out of it!

On a slightly more solemn note, I have also experienced the pain and challenge of shifting friend dynamics. Many of my freshman year friendships have persisted and strengthened while others have petered out as we go our separate ways. It's been painful to lose people I thought I was close to, only for things to almost inexplicably change during sophomore year. It's difficult to feel no peace or resolution about losing people I thought I'd stick with my entire life. That being said, I've made amazing new friends and grown closer to incredible people I've known since freshman year. Things aren't always easy and we've had to learn how to be adults and work out challenging situations, but we've stuck together through it all. For that, I could not be more grateful.

One final thing I've had to both accept and confront is the negative impact of some choices I made during freshman year. It's nothing too serious – mostly just my personal health and lifestyle choices that are finally catching up to me and that I'll have to change. Particularly over the past semester, I struggled with constant feelings of exhaustion and sluggishness. I could no longer function on four or five hours of sleep like I sometimes did during freshman year, instead finding myself getting tired around 9 pm (like a normal person) and having no energy to stay up until 2 or 3 am unless absolutely necessary. I made some unhealthy choices about my sleep schedule and eating habits during freshman year, and they definitely affected my health this year, making me more tired and stationary while also making me crave healthier foods and getting out in the fresh air. I've learned that I can't keep up my freshman year lifestyle if I hope to survive and function through the last two years of college.

Sophomore year was an adventure and brought me the most amazing professors, classes, and experiences yet. I can't wait to see how I'll continue to grow and change over the next two years as I draw on the lessons I've already learned.