Throughout your life, you hear that everything you do has an impact on how the rest of your life is going to be. For a long time I believed that, and I lived my life worried and conscious about how everything was going to end up, or if I were going to turn out the way people expected me to.

These past few months have been a challenge for me in so many ways. I have been through things that I never though I'd have to do. Through it all, though, I have learned more about myself and the person I want to be in these past months than I did through all the other years of my life. I am definitely not the person I was two years ago, or even eight months ago.

Have I made mistakes? Of course - I've made a ton. I've done things in my life I'm not proud of, either, but can you change all of your mistakes? No, you can't. The only thing you can do is try to be a better you. During those years of mistakes and figuring out who I was, I ended up losing myself. I was living a life that wasn't mine. I was drifting further and further away from who I was and more towards someone I barley knew. Then, one day, I woke up and realized that it was my time to be who I wanted to be. I wanted to make myself happy. Honestly, that is what not only college, but all of life is all about. It's a time to decide who you want to be. It's a time to try new things you never thought you would, because time doesn't last forever, and that is something I learned the hard way.

This is your time. All yours and no one else's. It is not your parents' or friends'. It's your time to live the life you enjoy, find yourself, expand your views, and see the world in new ways. I spent a year figuring that out. Now I see everything that's out there to do. I am trying things that I would have never dreamed of, and I'm so happy that I decided to branch out and try new things. The world is such a big place, you just don't realize all the opportunities you have.

This is a time when it's okay to not have everything figured out or to decide exactly what you want to do with your life. It's a time to meet new people, experience new things, and learn more about life. Try something you have always wanted to do, but have never been brave enough to do. Take a class that challenges you to your full potential. Meet new people. College is about discovering yourself fully. Once it's over, it's on to the real world with real jobs or further education. So, if you're thinking about whether to go out dancing with friends one night, to talk to the boy you've had a crush on for years, or to travel somewhere, just stop thinking and go for it. Make memories that you will have forever. Your happiness isn't something to take lightly. Time doesn't last forever, so now is your time.