November 24, 2015.

My, how time has passed. I can still feel the knots in my stomach I felt on move in day and the nerves that lived within me for the first few nights in my new home. I can smell the very first air freshener my roommate and I purchased for our new "humble abode". I can even hear the fire alarm the first night it ever sounded, and I can recall every one of the crazy pajama outfits I saw that night as well as the looks on my new neighbors faces.

My first date party. Bid day. Syllabus week. My first trip as a road dawg. It's all there, nestled in the back of my mind. Happy memories that I will hold dear for as long as I live. Through it all, I've learned quite a few things, some of which will remain unspoken, because I believe this special time in our lives should impact us all in different ways, and for me to give all of that away would be a spoiler to high school seniors merely months away from embarking on the journey I just began. Here's just a few of the many things I've learned my first semester as a bulldog.

1. You're not as independent as you think you are.

In high school, I had my life together. Or at least I like to think so. At the time, I attributed my successes to my own dedication and desire to do well. My time in college has quickly shown me that without the guidance of a loving mother and father, success doesn't come so easy. As much as I hated my dad knocking on my bedroom door every morning at 6 a.m. and yelling "rise and shine!" I would do just about anything to wake up to his voice tomorrow morning. These days, I am lucky if I even make it to my 8 a.m. by 8:05.

College is all you. Literally. No one cares about anyone but themselves, and this isn't because they are selfish or because they don't care about you. It's simply due to the fact that the time is now to discover for yourself who you are and what you want for yourself as well as the life you intend to live.

So, cherish the Dad of an alarm clock that wakes you up in the morning and the mother that makes you dinner every night. Because believe it or not, before you know it, you'll be your own alarm clock and ramen noodles will make up 75% of your daily diet. Yum.

2. Home is never too far to visit.

My first few weeks here were spent going ninety-to-nothing. If I wasn't studying, I was with my friends exploring the town of StarkVegas and learning the ropes to being a new member of my sorority. Sleep was non-existent, and the only time I was able to spend in my dorm was to either eat, shower, or get books for my next class. I forgot for a short time what it felt like to lay my head down on the pillow and simply rest.

The best decision I made was surprising my parents with a visit home one Friday afternoon. The look on my mother's face when I walked through the door was priceless; I had forgotten what it felt like to see the look on my best friend's face when I simply walked into the room. True love is communication with just a look, and no one communicates better without words than your mother. A hug around my neck, kisses from my pup, and dinner with my parents was more therapeutic than any day spent in bed with a tub of ice cream and Netflix had ever been. Needless to say, the three hour drive to and from Starkville was definitely worth it.

3. Friendship is one of God's greatest gifts.

I'll begin with this by saying that I have been blessed with dear companions since the beginning of high school. These girls were there for my first kiss, witnessed me get my first speeding ticket, and fought my battles for me every chance they could. The relationship I have with my high school best friends is one I will hold near me until the end of time, for they were there before I could even begin to understand who I am.

However, my love for them only made room for even more relationships within my heart. One of the marvelous things about college is the variety of people in one place at the same time. It is truly remarkable how such different people can become such a close knit family. I feel closest to God through people. To me, nothing is a greater symbol of God's love than the love that people give to one another. Here at Mississippi State, I began

making friends with people that fascinated me because they were so different than myself. I fell in love. With the people, with their differences, and with the fact that being so diversely different than someone else could bring me to know them and understand them so deeply. No judgement. No expectations. Just the bond between people who genuinely care about the well-being of one another and accept them for everything and more than I could've ever imagined.

Throughout my first semester of freshman year, I've learned a lot. I've experienced even more, and I have gained more knowledge inside and outside the classroom than one would expect to learn during only four months of school. Take what you will from this article, but to the high school senior reading this- take note of these three things. Prepare yourself for the most exciting and exhilarating time of your life, but also be aware that everything as you know it will soon change- from making it in the world on your own, to finding the greatest friends that you've always wished for. Take all of it in with a breath of fresh air, and while you're out having the time of your life it, don't forget to go home to where it all started every once in a while.