Some people swear up and down that freshman year of college was the best year of their lives. They say it was full of late nights with new-found forever friends, bonding with the most incredible people on their dorm hall, making unforgettable memories, and finding their niche in their perfect home away from home. Now I'm not saying these things aren't true, but I have a pretty good feeling this school year will top the last, easily.

1. You're finally used to being away from home.

I don't know about y'all, but moving 500 miles away from the only place I'd ever called home was probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It took me a really long time (I'm talking all of first and some of second semester) to finally feel 100 percent comfortable and at home at USC. That doesn't mean I didn't love my school, it just meant that I missed my own bed, my own back roads, my parents and the friends I'd had for years. Now I don't have to go through the same homesickness of the first year away from home.

2. You actually have friends now.

Again, maybe it's just me, but it took me a while to find a group of people I actually felt super comfortable around. Whether that's because I lived in the same place my whole life and never really had to meet new people, or the fact that making new friends in college just isn't always easy, it's exciting to go into a new school year with a solid support system, girls to have movie nights with, and actual friends that will take on game day with you.

3. You've got the swing of classes (kind of).

It's no secret that high school and college classes really don't compare. There's an adaptation period that happened for me at the start of both first and second semester, when I was still trying to figure out how exactly I wanted to take notes, what the most effective way to study was, and just how much time needs to go into schoolwork if you want to succeed. Of course, I say this now, but you probably won't want to be anywhere near me come finals week, I can guarantee a slew of mental breakdowns.

4. You're no longer the oblivious freshman.

While, yes, there is an irreplaceable exuberance and naivety in the eyes of each and every freshman, there are also a handful of not as great connotations. You're no longer the new kid on the block, you're no longer taunted for the lanyards they give you at orientation (don't get me wrong, I never wore mine), you know where your classes are and you simply just don't have to say "oh, I'm a freshman," when someone asks what year you are. It's just a blessing.

5. You're more confident and ready to tackle the year to come.

Starting a new year at a new school, in a new place, with totally new people can be intimidating to say the least. And while I probably wouldn't change a thing about my freshman year, I'm so stoked about the upcoming months because I feel confident in the person I am and that I'm becoming, the people I'm surrounding myself with, and the place I've chosen to call home.

Here's to new challenges, student section Saturdays, 2 am Monday nights, and what will hopefully be an incredible year.