Whether you are returning to school or beginning your journey, listen up: trust your gut. You made the right choice. There is an undoubtedly grand reason you chose the place you are going, and I guarantee things have a way of working out. You are never stuck in any situation in your life, whether that’s college, a relationship, a sports team, etc. Don’t feel pressure to remain in a situation you don’t want to be in; however, you are tougher than you think. Everyone has an adjustment their first semester, there are no two ways about it. But trust the process. Life is a test and you are where you are meant to be. If you are doubting it, check out to see if you made the right choice:

1. You can’t stop thinking about the school

You are constantly imagining the campus and its effervescence while walking around and sitting in your special area with those special people capturing a photo of the moment together. You can’t wait to post that classic “back on campus” picture with your besties.

2. You are constantly in communication with those besties

Chances are, you have multiple group chats to constantly keep in touch with your favorite humans everrrrrr (minus your BFF from home and your dogs, of course).

3.1 Decorations…

What about the canvases your big painted you, or the picture frames your high school bff gave you, or your actual polaroids because you’re too trendy…HA good luck deciding, oh and don’t forget to use the extra safe tape that can and will still puncture holes in your wall…whoops.

3.2 …tapestries…

You definitely have about five tapestries in mind for your room that’s the size of a shoebox, but that’s okay, because your fab roomie has five more. Your walls are about to be lit (no actually, those white strung lights? Grab an extra three packs).

3.3 …pictures…OH MY!

Do you begin with all your pictures from high school? Or you must just have your dogs everywhere. That makes the most sense, honestly. My advice to you: less is more. Get a feel for your room and what vibe you’re going for and print pictures along the way that make your nose crinkle every time you look at them.

4. You trust more people than you can name on your fingers

This is not to say you have to be a super duper trusting person, but rather, that your school creates a space for you where you feel safe being YOU.

5. You feel nervous and scared more frequently than you imagined.

Work with me here: If you felt 100% comfortable all the time, you would not be evolving and growing into your best self. Being nervous and feeling uneasy is the nature of growth and allows you to learn more about yourself and those around you. The more open you are with yourself, the more you will attract positive, motivated individuals who want to better themselves as well.

6. You feel better after each visit with one of your professors.

Feeling uneasy about an essay grade? Or just want help proofing it before you turn it in for good? Go see the proof. Not all professors deserve our A+’s, but more than likely, if you sit down with your professor and they walk you through your essay and what you need to improve on while simultaneously giving your strong points positive feedback, you chose the right place.

7. T-Shirts galore and you're not afraid to wear them

Bring extra storage!!!! But bring like three t-shirts, to begin with. Trust me, 75% of the bulk in your drawers will be swag from your school, whether it’s your team gear, class t-shirt, club/organization wear you name it, you'll have a tee supporting (and bulging your dresser open).

8. You actually want to invite your parents to family weekend

Yes you miss them terribly, but more than that you want to share with them the gem you call your new home! You are all cozy and moved in with your roomie who you now call bff, and you can’t wait to force them to eat the awful food you endure in the place you seemingly spend hours. It’s the little things.

9. FOMO becomes a real issue for you...

…and you could not be more grateful. You are fortunate enough to have these amazing people infiltrating your world, and each time you have to leave you dread it, but it makes seeing them when you come back that much better. If you hadn’t chosen this place, you would be dying to get out. It’s okay to miss things, it’s not the end of the world. I promise your friends miss you as much as you miss them even if they're not constantly telling you, it's OK.

10. You can’t wait to go to the lib

We aren’t talking about just studying, people (sorry, mom). The library is always where it’s at. You can spend hours upon hours sitting with your books unopened in front of you because you can’t shut up catching up with your pals; trust me it’s a real problem. On a legit note, find a place you can go where you know you can get stuff done so when you need to do so, you can. I still have yet to accomplish this HA.

11. No matter how bad the food is, you can’t wait to eat

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, better than sitting in the smelly crowded cafeteria with your closest friends, catching up on each others’ days and staying for hours. In my neck of the woods we call this CDR sitting, and not to be cocky but I’d say I’m a pro. It is an acquired skill, but one that can last you a lifetime. When you have nothing pressing you for time, allow yourself to indulge in the moments that you can’t plan on.

These are just a few of the many signs you chose the right place. No place is perfect, but what even is perfect? It just has to be right for you. Be open to new experiences and new people, but don’t lose sight of who you are. However, it is wonderful to change and grow; the people who are meant to stay in your life will support that growth within you. It is more important to be decisive than correct. With that being said, trust your decision and embrace every opportunity. After all, you get out what you put in.

Not being biased or anything, but TIGER UP (!!!)