My senior year of high school, I couldn't wait to get out of town and go to college. I couldn't wait to be my own person and make my own decisions. I couldn't wait to meet new friends, teachers, and have the time of my life. What I didn't know, was that college isn't all it's cracked up to be. I didn't know that I was going to have such a rough time. I was going to struggle so much.

1. Big colleges aren't always the best decision.

That I didn't need to go to a big school to meet people. Big schools can be a great experience, but they aren't for everyone. There was always this big pressure to go to a four-year school and that attending a junior college was weak and a waste of time. I wish I would've thought more about my decision before committing to such a large school.

2. Not everyone is going to be your friend.

College is about meeting new people and I thought that everyone was going to be accepting, realizing that we were all new and in the same boat. Not every person on your floor is going to want to hang out with you. Not everyone is going to be accepting. Not everyone is going to love you. It's going to be okay.

3. You're going to miss home way too much.

I've lost count of the number of times this past semester I called my mom, dad, or grandma in complete tears, saying how much I wanted to come home. How much I wanted to sleep in my own bed and see my dog. I knew that college was going to be an adjustment. I wish I would've known how much of a shock it was going to be.

4. Not everyone is best friends with their roommates.

Some people get really lucky with their roommates. Some become best friends, tell each other everything, go to lunch together, and do everything together. That's not always the case. And you know what? That's okay. It's okay to coexist in a room with someone and not need to tell each other every detail of the day. It's okay if the two of you are just friends, not best friends.

5. You're going to dread going back to school after break.

I always thought that college was this great experience. That everyone who went had a great time and loved their school. I would see posts on social media from upperclassmen about how they couldn't wait to go back to their school after a long break. No one told me how difficult it was going to be to leave my family again after being home for a month. No one told me that some people don't want to go back to school.

6. Not everyone has the time of their lives in college.

I always thought that everyone who went to college had the best four years of their lives. That they met their best friends, their people, the people that would be with them for their whole lives. This doesn't always happen. It takes time to find the lifelong friends. Sometimes, you have to dig a little to find the best ones.

7. You most certainly aren't alone.

That I wasn't the only one struggling with college and having so many difficulties. That even though I couldn't see it, there were other people who were going through the same thing.

8. It's also really going back to school after break.

I knew that it was going to be tough first leaving. And I was prepared for that. But no one told me how difficult it was going to be going back to school second semester. After being home for such a long period of time and realizing what it's like to be back, I didn't want to go back to school. I wasn't ready. I wish someone would have prepared me for that.

9. Despite it all, everything will be okay.

That even though it's hard, it's possible to survive first semester or first year. It's possible to do well in the class that you have no idea what it's about. It's going to be okay and that everything is going to end up how it should end up.