Dear Freshman Year,

Woah. Where has the time gone? Life has changed so much in as little as a year and I can finally say that I have survived. I can now add this portion of life to my story with new adventures, friends, and memories. It all seems so unreal, but I wouldn't go back to change a single second of it. Not only do I now have a new outlook on life, I have learned so much about myself which I would never have discovered without this experience. Although I still have many questions unanswered about my life and where it will take me, I do know that the University of Louisville will forever be a place for me to call home. Here are a few things in which I have learned from it:

1. Go Greek or Go Home

Honestly, joining Greek life was a game changer for me. I could sit here for days and talk about the cliche reasons why you should rush, but in the end, I'm just here to tell you that it brought me 120 friends and experiences to last me a lifetime. My sisters are strong, intelligent young women who have helped me in more ways than I can even count. I loved it so much that I even ran for an office position last semester and am now Service Chair of my sorority. To be honest, I probably wouldn't even still be in school without my sisters.

2. Make Friends in Your Classes

This is probably one of the most important tips in which I have learned this year. Meeting people in your classes can drastically be the difference between an A and a B. I'm not saying you have to hang out with them on the weekend or anything, but at least get one person's phone number who you can contact in case you can't attend a lecture or don't understand the material. It's important to have these connections and I learned this very quickly.

3. You Can Choose Who You Want to Be Friends with

College is all about making decisions for yourself and bettering yourself. There will be thousands of people who you will be going to school with and you will probably pass people on campus every day that you have never seen before. It's okay if you don't want to be friends with certain people or need to cut off friendships to better yourself. Unlike high school, you don't have to force yourself to be friends with anyone who isn't helping you become a better version of yourself because you don't have to see them on a daily basis. Do what makes you happy.

4. Say Yes to Meeting New People and Trying New Experiences

My time as a freshman in college has transformed me from an introvert to an extrovert in the matter of a year. Since the first week, I forced myself to go out and do things with people in which I normally wouldn't do. In high school, I had social anxiety and was scared of being around people that I wasn't comfortable with, but now I can go and talk to a stranger on the side of the street without a second thought. You don't want to stay crammed in your 4x4 dorm room anyway, so put yourself out there and meet lifelong friends. Say yes to studying at the library with a new friend or going to the SAC to eat lunch.

5. Make Sure You Always Have The Essentials

Your backpack will probably be the most important thing that you will ever have in college. Make sure that you always have your headphones (both computer and iPhone), an umbrella, computer charger, water bottle, chapstick, and your iClicker! You don't want to be that freshman that is getting poured on walking out of class because you forgot your umbrella or the one that lost their attendance points in class because they always forgot their iClicker.

6. Don't Stress Yourself Over Exams and Assignments

Your classes are very important and you are also at a point in which things can change for the rest of your life, but you also cannot dwell on one bad grade. Be sure that you are studying and doing your homework, but are not consumed by schoolwork 24/7. Often, I found myself too caught up in work and would stress myself out to the point of tears. It's important that you maintain a healthy balance. It's okay if you don't know exactly what you want to do with your life yet, either--that's what college is here for.

7. Communication is Important

Living with your best friends is all fun and games until she borrows one of your shirts without asking and nothing is said. Make sure that you lay out boundaries and communicate with each other when something is bothering you. Failure to communicate can cause a build up in tension and you might explode. Everyone always says not to live with your best friends, but I promise it will be one of the best times of your life if you just talk to each other.

8. It's Okay to Go Home Sometimes

Being an hour away from campus has its advantages and disadvantages. Everyone always hears that cliche saying that "you don't want to be that freshman that goes home every weekend," which is true, but sometimes it's vital for you to go home. I can't speak for out-of-state students, but I do know that going home once or twice every month rejuvenated my soul. Sometimes you need time with your mom or home cooked meals, but it's also important to keep a balance so that you aren't missing out on your college experience by going home too much.

These are just a few things in which I learned in my first year of college and cannot wait to see how much more I can learn about life and myself. Some things that college has brought me are unexplainable experiences (like game days, date parties, or sorority bid day). I thank you, freshman year, for introducing me to my best friends, a major I am passionate about, and a city I fell in love with. College so far has been a wild ride, and I can't wait to take on my sophomore year!