Starting college seemed unreal; everything that I worked for was finally coming true. When I first came into freshman year, I did not know what to expect. Honestly, I was actually kind of scared because it was a big adjustment and there were new people, just like any other freshman. Whether you went out of state to a school 500 miles away from home or stayed in-state at a school only 5 miles away from home, we were all terrified.

My biggest issue was leaving behind my high school friends. It was so hard being away from them. I’ve known many of them since I was in middle school. It was terrifying knowing that they had to be left behind in order to embark on a new journey. I think the hardest part was making friends because, for some reason, I had forgotten how to. Sounds strange, but it was scary.

It finally hit me on move-in day. I would no longer see my friends every day. Everyone was doing their own thing and going different directions. It was so hard saying goodbye to my friends-- many tears were shed, hugs were given, and final goodbyes were said. Not only did we depart from our friends, but also from our families. Besides leaving our friends, the hardest part was arriving at college. It was hard seeing my parents cry more than I did. After all, they had to leave me. Adjusting to the college life was hard because once they left, I was on my own for the first time. College taught me a lot of things.

Here's what I learned from my freshman year:

1. It's okay to have awkwardness between you and your roommate

That's what college does, right? Two people who have never met are put together into the same room. So, of course, it would be a little awkward for a while. It took my roommate and I a while to get through the awkwardness of living together. Things get better, so don't worry. Everything will be okay.

2. You don't have to be best friends with your roommate

When you first get to college, you become overwhelmed by the amount of people you meet. Mostly because they are everywhere. It doesn't matter if you go to a large, medium, or small college. It still is overwhelming. Our first reaction is to stick with our roommate because they are the only person we "actually know". But the truth is, after a while, we find other people that are more closely related to us. When that time comes, you find a group of friends. It's okay if you don't become best friends or always hang out with your roommate. At the end of the end of the day, they still live with you.

3. Time management is key

If you don't learn anything else from this article, learn this: in college, time management is key. You have to learn how to balance your time. I personally believe that if you want good grades, a social life, and sleep you need to be good at managing your time. In reality, you are only allowed to choose two out of the three. I found it to be almost like a triangle. As everyone knows, college is a time of earning a degree and having fun (at the same time). But, many students (even myself at times) find it to be hard, mainly because sometimes it’s hard to manage your time when you have so much on your plate. Yes, there could be a party that Friday night, but also your paper is due that night. The best option would be to finish that paper. Trust, me there will be another party.

And the most important thing I learned by far is:

4. Enjoy your time there

College is one of the most stressful times of a student's life. Sometimes we can get consumed with all the assignments and projects we have to turn in. But every once in a while, we have to take a deep breath and enjoy the time we have away from our parents. Because, as we know, these are the "best four years of our lives."