As my freshman year of college came to an end, so many emotions came over me…and they were all happy ones. I was happy for all the wonderful friends I made, I was happy for all the amazing memories, and I was happy to be going home again, and this time for longer than just a few days.
When people say that your freshman year of college flies by, that’s an understatement. I feel like it was just the other day that I was moving in to a foreign room with three people I’ve never met, not realizing they would soon become some of my closest friends, and now I’m already a quarter of the way done with my college career. People always talk about the bad roommate stories, but no one ever talks about the good ones, the ones where you become so close that you’ve made friends you’ll have for your entire life. I’m extremely grateful for the amazing roommates I had this past year, and can without a doubt say that we’ll be friends for life. However, that made moving out that much more difficult. I never realized moving out would be as emotional as moving in, if not more.
Although many people have left my life, this new chapter of my life has brought so many wonderful people into it, people who will stay in it for the long haul. As cliché as it may sound, and as often as you’ve probably heard this, college really is where you make your lifelong friends, and I never truly understood that until this very moment. I am so grateful for all the amazing memories I made this past year, and I can’t wait for many more for years to come.
Although leaving my new amazing friends and memories is going to be difficult, I am overwhelmed with joy to be able to be home for the summer. Over the past year I’ve learned so much about myself (another cliché that was ultimately extremely true), but it’s important to never forget your roots. I’m looking forward to these next fours months of being able to spend time with my family once again.
Moving out of my freshman dorm was emotional for many reasons, but mostly because I realized this is just the beginning. I have so much to look forward to in this life, and my freshman year of college is to thank for helping me figure that out. There are so many places to go, so many things to do, and so many people to meet. This world is full of opportunities that I never would’ve imagined, and I am looking forward to seeing what my future holds. Life is precious and everyone needs a reminder every now and then to not take it for granted. To the upcoming college freshmen: your first year of college is going to be a life changing year that doesn’t last very long; try to appreciate every moment while you can. Newfound independence can be a scary thing, but it also makes you learn so much about yourself that you never thought imaginable. Cherish this time and all the memories. Even though the time is short, the memories you make will last a lifetime.
