It is crazy to think that this time last year I was still in high school, waiting on colleges to send me that letter which would decide my fate. I still had five months of homework, tests and anxiety before I could call myself a high school graduate. After finishing my first semester at college, this seems like a lifetime ago.

Your first semester of college makes you feel as if high school was an entirely separate world; one filled with unnecessary drama, cliquey friends and an overwhelming amount of pressure that got worse as the four years progressed. I realized that my first semester taught me the true difference between college and high school, and I have to thank it for that and so much more. The lessons I learned and the people I have met in the past six months have taught me more about life than twelve years of schooling ever did.

Thank you for introducing me to my best friends.

First and foremost, thank you for introducing me to some of the best people I have ever met. To think that I did not know that they existed six months ago is crazy, simply because I cannot imagine my college experience without them. They have been there for the laughs, cries, exhausting nights and early mornings. Without them, I would not have nearly as many crazy stories to tell my grandkids.

Thank you for teaching me how to manage my time.

After the awe of being in college wore off, I realized there was still a lot of work to get done. About every three weeks I would have a few tests, a couple essays, and a project due. Preparing for those while still doing the other work assigned during those weeks, along with finding time to be social, was tough. This taught me that, to have the type of college experience I wanted, I was going prioritize my life, big time.

Thank you for teaching me my limits.

Over the course of my first semester, I learned how little sleep I could live on, how many parties I could go to in a week, how many papers I could write in one night and how many times I could eat the dining hall food before losing my mind. By knowing these, I can stop trying to adjust to life as a college student and actually start those papers before the night before they are due.

Thank you for introducing me to jerks.

Everyone thinks that their high school is full of jerks and girls who don't know how to keep their mouths shut. Heads up: college has them too. But, good news! Since you're at a place with thousands of other strangers, you don't have to force yourself to be nice to those few who are stuck in a high school mindset. Yes, I did meet boys who were only concerned with how many girls they could flirt with. And, yes, I met girls who acted as if their Instagram account was their child. What's really great is these people are the minority, and your best friends will keep you far away from them.

Thank you for teaching me who I am.

While this one is still in progress, thank you for teaching me who I really am. I have learned how to be myself without the fear of getting judged looming over my head. Finding my passions, identifying my strengths and weaknesses, and realizing the type of people with whom I want to surround myself, I am growing exponentially as a person. I am not the same person I was six months ago, and that's one of the greatest gifts first semester gave me. I'm excited to see who I will be at the end of my four years, but am not wishing my semesters away in any sense.

So, thank you, first semester. You definitely had your ups and downs and everything in between, but I wouldn't trade you away for the world.