Going into college, it’s a new world and full of opportunities that you’ve never experienced before. As I take on junior year, I start to reflect on my past few years here at college. Remembering all of the new connections made, classes taken, weekends spent going out, and time studying to get the grades I need to succeed.

But I wish I had someone to experience this part of my life with.

College can be a hard time in life to find the person you want to be with because everyone is at so many different places in their life. Even though we are all going through college and taking classes, everyone has their own goals in mind and doing what’s best for them.

For almost a year, I have been on my own. I’ve learned a lot about myself. If there’s one thing I can tell you to always make sure of, it’s to embrace the person you are today. Take each new day as a day to better yourself and continue to look for where you want your future to go.

I learned to make time for friends. As much I may be looking for my future, I’ve made sure to not lose sight of my present. Having a group of friends to surround me during my ups and downs has been very important. Explore, get involved, and attend as many events as possible. This is the time to soak up the college adventures and take full advantage of the opportunities.

At times, it’s best to take nights away from the world and be able to reflect on myself. I have found that since doing this over the past few months, I have been able to figure out who I am as a person and where I want to see myself in the future.

If there’s one thing to life that I have learned, it’s that love can never be forced.

I have met so many amazing people this past year, but when my heart tells me things won’t work, I know I need to follow my heart. For a girl that has had heartbreaks, there comes a time where you just have to let your heart take over and trust that some things aren't meant to be.

Timing has been one of the biggest factors in my life this past year, and if there’s one thing I’m going to keep my attention on, its time. I left my life behind in Iowa last summer because at that time in my life I needed to get away from all the confusion I was in. It was the most crucial three months of my entire life. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on my past, present and future. I opened myself up, took chances and became the woman I’ve wanted to become. I retuned back home with the greatest goals and dreams for myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I kept my eyes open for love even when I was out in California. I knew that I had to keep an open heart and keep my hopes alive. Even though I was 30 hours away from home, if I was to find the one I was meant to be with, my life would change the way it would've been planned to.

As the new year has arrived, I’ve started to think about the time on my own. Its crazy though, it feels like it hasn’t been that long. And I think that’s what gets me the most. How life can move so fast without even knowing it. I was so focused on myself and who I wanted to be, that I wasn’t even focused on time.

And I thought time was the biggest factor in my life.

That's the thing though, time can be seen in so many ways. And this is just an example of a thing that can mean so much at one point, but then have little impact on you at another.

I have figured out who I am as a person, my career is in the best place it has ever been, and after a year of being on my own following the waves of life, I am ready to share my life with someone by my side. But not just anyone.

I want it to be someone that has the greatest potential to be the one to last a lifetime.

My previous relationships have allowed me to see the qualities I want in someone, and for that, I am forever grateful for my past allowing me to make a clear way for the future. I think in order to get to the place where you want to spend the rest of your life with one person; you have to go through the struggles and new beginnings like I have over the past year. Taking time to focus on yourself, get away from the normality of life, spend time with friends, and figuring out what you truly want in your future.

It has taken me a long time to get to this place. But I am more than ready to give my heart to that one person, whoever it may be, forever.