Freshman year back in 2015. I was so excited to move away and start my life at a little Liberal Arts school up in New Hampshire. It was the perfect school for me and I couldn't be happier with where I was going. Stepping into the Simon Center the first day with a banner hanging with three words on it: "You Belong Here."

I was so excited to start. I just wanted to be my own person and leave high school behind me. I never thought that I was going to be this far from home though. A whole 4 hours between what I called home my whole life and I. I had a huge pit in my stomach when move in day came along. I knew I was ready to start college, but I was unsure about leaving my mom. It was an unsettling feeling, but I did it.

Sophomore year was one of the toughest years for me. Between freshman and sophomore year, I stayed up at school during the summer and I was doing work study on campus. It was me and probably 11 other students all on campus. I was doing an online class and going to work every day, but I definitely was lonely. I had a death in the family as well which was probably the toughest things to go through when you're away at school. I started to become anxious and upset being at the place I wanted to be the most. I was stressed, upset, and always thinking about coming home.

During the year, I was trying my best to enjoy myself and have fun with my friends. It became better when my boyfriend came up and visited every time he could when he was in New Jersey and me being in New Hampshire. He and I both knew I just wasn't happy at all. I knew I wanted to come home. I started looking at schools back at home and found one that I loved and wanted to be at.

If you don't feel like you really belong where you are at school, don't feel pressured to stay there. It was probably one of the best decisions I've made during my college career.