Time flies. How am I already a sophomore in college? As I am seeing high school seniors getting ready to graduate and start their journey in college, I am reliving the memories that came with that time of life. It was such a fun time. Life was a lot easier then than it is now, and I miss it. Although I am loving being in college, learning all kinds of new things, and growing as a person, this time of change is hard. When you're young, all you can think about is getting older and all of the advantages and fun stuff that comes with it. I didn't listen when others talked about how hard getting older is. It is both exciting and sad. Exciting because of the new opportunities and milestones; sad because time is flying and things are changing fast.

During my freshman year of college I learned that change is sometimes difficult. Anticipating change is easier than the actual change. Like you're looking forward to moving out on your own but it is actually a lot harder than you thought it would be and you miss your family. I never thought I would miss home cooking as much as I did my freshman year. Eating out and eating school food gets old fast.

Procrastination worked fine for me in high school. I tried to make it work in college but it didn't work out. This is a lesson I learned the hard way and I'm really glad that I did learn it. If I want a good grade on something, I am more likely to get it if I actually work hard on it and put time into it rather than completing the assignment in a hurry the last minute. I'm guessing that procrastination will also not work well in the real world, so it's good that college teaches you this.

One of the most important things I learned during my freshman year is that the people you spend the most time with make a big difference in the person that you are. You may be unaware of their influence, and it is good to make sure that they are being a good influence on you and that you are being a good influence on them as well. The friends I made during my freshman year are friends that make me want to be a better person. They are good influences on me, they encourage well, and they set a Godly example for me. I am so thankful for this, having friends like this make all the difference in the world in my life.

Throughout this past year, I have grown in my relationship with Christ the most. I have learned so much, and I never want to stop learning about the Gospel. I have fallen deeply in love with the Gospel and my Savior. He has taught me to trust Him, enjoy Him, and rest in Him. With this, I have learned to have confidence in Christ. Confidence that He is who He says He is and that His promises will never fail. Confidence that He has my life in His hands and that He has wonderful plans for my life. Being confident in Christ is the only way that this stressful and crazy time of life is enjoyable and manageable.

So, freshman year- thank you for all the lessons learned and memories made. These lessons and memories will last a lifetime. I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to college and pursue my dreams. Learning is truly a blessing.