Remember senior year applying to colleges and filling out the FAFSA and finally receiving that golden acceptance letter? Remember walking onto campus for the first time? Remember the stress of buying supplies and stressing out over textbook prices? Doesn't it feel like yesterday? You're probably sitting here wondering, "How is it already over?!"
Well, behind that shock and astonishment, reality is setting over. It's summer. You're probably thinking how you're going to spend your summer — maybe it's an internship or summer classes or going home or just a stress free summer with friends — no matter what way you spend it, with the handing in of your last final, your ticket to freedom began...well, you know what I mean. IT'S OVER, you're the proud survivor of freshman year!
Hopefully you made a few friends and plan to keep in touch over the summer. During your time freshman year, you probably started to realize that college isn't like high school — you don't need millions of people surrounding you claiming to be "friends." Matter of fact, those are acquaintances. There are friends you talk to and text and friends that you get in touch with when you see them on campus or text for an assignment. Regardless, hopefully you made both types of friends because it's what helps you survive college.
You survived the year that is known to be the hardest. Why? Because not only are you dealing with academics, you're dealing with the social aspect of it all too. You're completely starting over as a freshman; you just came from being at the top of the food chain in high school to completely dropping back down to the bottom in college — everyone and everything is fair game. You have to meet new people and get the hang of college and figure out a whole new set of professors and how they teach.
While you may be 15 pounds heavier and have no money at all to speak of left in your pocket, it's finished, you're done. You finished this whole year of new things and new people and new adventures and that's something to be incredibly proud of. Coming into freshman year, you knew that everyone was probably feeling the same anxiety you felt and just as nervous as you were. There were half a million things to deal with and manage and you got through all of them.
Remember this time as a freshman. Remember everything. Remember the note taking and the confusing professors and the confusion of what to study for. Remember the parties and the friends and the people and the laughters and the tears. Remember that you did it without your parents; you're becoming a full fledged adult.
May your summer be completely relaxing and comforting and full of tanlines and new memories. Good luck in your sophomore year and remember, you already did it once, there's no reason sophomore year should be any different.
