Dear Freshmen,
First off, I want to tell you that everything is going to be alright. It may not seem like it now, but I promise, your life will work out. You are so strong for moving out on your own and meeting entirely new people in a completely different world. Freshman year is a time of self-discovery, as well as the discovery of the world around you. These discoveries aren't easy to endure, and at times, it can seem as though you are completely alone. You are not alone.
Everyone says that freshman year is when you will meet your best friends and that it is "the best time of your life." What they don't say is how difficult it can be to establish similar connections with the people you left at home. It will happen; the people that you are meant to be friends with will come into your life, but it may not happen right away. You may feel as if you've made friends with the wrong people and feel trapped in a bad decision. All of these thoughts may be running in your head, and it doesn't make you a bad person.
People don't talk about the mistakes and missteps that you will make along the way. I want to tell you that these mistakes don't define you, but they can also help you grow if you let them. Through all of the relationships with people that may not have ended the way you want to, through the times of loneliness, through the tears, you can reflect on these times as opportunities to grow.
All of these mixed, uncertain feelings are completely normal. I can guarantee that everyone is feeling the same things that you are. Best friends are not made in one day and the future doesn't become clear once you live on your own. Life may be more messy than you thought it was going to be, but that's what makes it great. You have a whole beautiful, wonderful life ahead of you that is full of amazing opportunities and friends. All of these experiences may not happen during your first semester or year of school, but don't give up. I promise, they will happen and you will become the person you are meant to be. You are not alone.
All of my love,
Someone who understands you
