My freshman year of college was good. It really was. Solid. Dependable. But timid. It was rocky terrain. I had to really try hard to find my footing. I thought about each step way too much, and maybe that is why I stumbled at times. My freshman year was good. It could have been better...if I got that stick out of my ass.

So as I look ahead to sophomore year, I also look back on my previous memories at college. I focus on the difficult ones, and I see a couple problems. I focussed on those problems over summer, and I have never been more excited for this year to begin. Here are my sophomore year resolutions.

1. Breathe.

It's not that difficult. I mean, I thought it was, but when I looked back and saw myself stressing out over literally nothing, I realized that there was no reason to. What is freaking out gonna get me? A headache and confusion. That's it. So this year, before jumping to conclusions and the end of the world, I will take a deep breath.

2. Don't go out every night.

Yes, I want to have fun this year. However, I also want to sleep. During freshman year, most of the times I went out with my friends, I wanted to go out. I liked music- no surprise there. However, there were sometimes I only went out because I wanted to be in the stories they told at the end of the night. I wanted to be in the loop. I finally took a Saturday off just to have a night to myself, and it was great. I actually breathed and slept and didn't feel a need to do anything. Sometimes, extra sleep is better. I am going to go out when I want to.

3. Keep the pizza buying to a minimum.

Yeah, I didn't like that call from my parents much. My debit was being abused for all the wrong reasons, and maybe I should go a little easier on it. Maybe I should go a little bit easier on my stomach too. This resolution may be a bit difficult.

4. Don't rely on Snapchat or Instagram

Last year, I was just introduced to extreme social media-ing. And I didn't just become obsessed. I overanalyzed it. I started seeing how if someone didn't answer my text but made a snap story, it hurt more than it should've. Even Insta pics I wasn't part of - even though I took pictures with people that night - rubbed me weird. Because I overanalyzed, I just thought I wasn't good enough. But it's a story. It's a post. It's nothing. Friends are something. Don't get angry over not being tagged.

5. Trust that your friends like you for a reason.

They do. No matter how strange I acted, or how dysfunctional I was, they stuck with me. And I questioned it? Why would I question something so good? This year, I need to stick to what I know. I have friends. I love them, and for reasons unknown, they still love me.

6. Find contentment in being alone.

So now that I have established that I have friends, I need to be alone. People have schedules. Sometimes I can't see the people I want to see. Sometimes I am just alone in my room. I don't need to try and find something to do. It's okay if I take a nap, watch a show or two on Netflix, even want to be alone for a while. I need to get my bearings. I need to relax, and being alone can help.

7. Make time for everything...without stretching yourself to thin.

I have clubs, I have people, I have jobs, I have classes, and I have me. I couldn't even them out last year. This year, it will be different. No I am not going to schedule in everyone and everything. I'm just gonna make it work and accept imperfection. Maybe skip a meeting because it's a friend's birthday and we're going out to dinner. Maybe don't go out because I have to work or table the next day. Just let the pieces fall.

8. Make peace with Freshman Year.

Yeah, there are some people I didn't end up on good terms with. They haunted me. They made me dread this coming up semester. Then I realized that I didn't care. I wasn't forced to see them. They had no control over my present day. I wasn't wiping a clean slate - I was making a new slate. I have no harsh feelings. I have just moved on from the memories of freshman year, hopeful to make some new, great ones.

9. Don't be afraid to not be Mom.

I fell into the stereotype. On those nights I wasn't feeling it when going out with my friends, I just ended up being the girl who had to help everyone else. But now? I never needed to help. I wanted to. I want to be able to still be someone to trust when going on, but I want to have fun for me, not making sure everyone else has fun.

10. Take every day and every memory as something positive.

It may suck. It may hurt. Don't get dragged down by it. Take it in stride. Run over the rough terrain. Don't stop. It's all gonna work out. Happy sophomore year. Take it in!