A year sure sounds like a long time. However, it not only actually is a short period of time, but it also feels like the days pass by so fast. In my case, it's already been a year since I first arrived at Bridgewater State University as a freshman, and really, I still think it was yesterday.

I even remember the days before I first started to attend college. In my first three months as a senior in high school, I had not the slightest idea where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do. I knew I didn't want to leave home; I wanted to commute to a college (preferably a community school) because I thought living on campus for the bigger college experience was not going to be my thing. I was definitely nervous and not confident that I could make the most out of my next four plus years.

Then one day, I went on a field trip with a few classmates to tour Bridgewater State University, and immediately, my perspective transformed. I loved everything about what I saw: the size and appearance, the community, what it has to offer for all sorts of students, and so much more. It immediately became my top choice for a college.

So as you can probably figure, I applied and was accepted a few short weeks later, much to my excitement. I still had a whole bunch of responses from other colleges to wait on, but at that point, I didn't really care what the other schools thought about me; I wanted to attend Bridgewater, and sure enough, I officially committed a month and a half later.

Yes, I was excited; the thought of going away to a school that I actually wanted to attend was thrilling. However, the nerves weren't leaving me just yet. Over the next six months, I was secretly dreading moving into college. I had already changed my mind about where I wanted to end up after graduating from high school - Was I going to regret my decision? I was anxious for the answer.

My first semester at the university was the exact opposite of what I was predicting. The reasons why I thought Bridgewater State was an amazing school back when I was a senior in high school had stayed true to me; I met a ton of amazing people, I was happy with all of my classes, and I loved my new independence.

There is one more notable accomplishment of my first semester that will follow me for the rest of my life: I found a way out of my comfort zone and tried new things.

Like I said before, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and I still didn't know when I actually started school. But I learned that no one lies when they say you should get involved because the benefits of doing so are endless. If you get involved, you will meet friends interested in the same things as you and you will be able to do something that you may or may not love.

I joined my school's newspaper organization as a staff writer with no experience whatsoever. A year later, I am now serving as its Campus Life Editor as well as Editor in Chief for Bridgewater State's branch of Odyssey.

It's amazing what can happen in a span of 365 days.

I never thought stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something I had no experience in could make such a huge difference. When I was thinking about college as a high school senior, I barely even wanted to go. A year later, I'm more than happy that I changed my mind. BSU is a second home to me and I could not imagine being anywhere else. Looking back to my first year, I was just a tiny freshman trying to figure things out. Now, I am a leader, and as an upperclassman, having these titles means the world to me. I still have the rest of my sophomore year and two more years approaching; so much more could happen then. I am so excited to find out.

Just because you're new to something doesn't mean you can't try it. Just because you may not be good at something at first doesn't mean you won't get better. Just because you've only been doing something for a year doesn't mean you can't become a leader.

So go on. Take a step beyond your definite capabilities and try something foreign to you. And most importantly, don't ever be afraid to fail. The world is filled with options; you just have to explore, or else you won't find yours.