College is definitely a learning curve- which means that everyone will make mistakes. No one experiences it perfectly the first go round, which is why we get four years of the experience. The phrase "Practice makes perfect" could have been coined for the college setting, where you will pick up on things in a variety of places that will help make the most of your college journey. For me, my first year of college was anything but smooth sailing, where there were a lot of tears and questions and frustrations, but made me learn and grow as a result. I know I will continue to go through different and complicated situations in my following years at UConn, but I've begun to create a little map for myself that will guide me through some sticky situations.

I've learned quite a few things that I don't think I was able to understand while in high school. For example, I've come to realize that it's so much easier to give people second chances for making mistakes rather than harboring resentment against them for the rest of eternity. Don't let a bad first impression of someone dictate your future interactions with them, because they just might turn out to be a really great person who you would love to be around. This is a concept I didn't understand when I was younger because I was both immature and less understanding of other people, whereas now I've expanded my reality of the world. It's also a great way to save your energy, instead of letting your mind focus on the imperfections in others, allow yourself to understand the good in everyone.

It's also important to remain open minded and personable in college. You might be shy and more comfortable with a tight knit group of friends, but allowing yourself to stretch beyond your comfort zone is a great thing, and my experience has only brought me friendships I never would have experienced if I wasn't willing to put myself out there. It's also a great way to network because if you are able to relate yourself to someone in one way or another, they are going to remember you, which will help you out if you ever need something in the future.

And there are certainly things I know I don't hold the answers for in my little map. They are unmarked territories that I need to venture into, and maybe get lost a couple times before coming out on the other side. In my second year of college, I hope to learn how to handle my emotions with grace, and not let them always get the best of me. I'm consistently an emotional person that has placed me in hard positions before. College is a very stressful environment a lot of the time, because you and everyone around you is focused on the steps it will take them to reach their degree. There will be times where you want to break down and cry, but need to keep pushing forward. Something I've struggled with and yet to overcome is my inability to not focus on the worst case scenario, which has made me emotional and continually stressed. I want to continue to work hard, but not in the negative mindset that I've trapped myself in. I want to be more self positive, and less deprecating in my abilities to do one thing or another.

I'm a work in progress, which has been a lesson learned. But I now know how to continue to better myself and I strive to reach the goals I have set forth in the following years to come.