A year ago, I was about to head off to University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) for my first semester in college. I had been counting down to the move-in day since graduation; I'd been waiting to leave since I knew I wanted to go. I'd been dying to leave my small town and go someplace where I could start over and explore and breathe. I knew Point would be the perfect place for me, my new home. Bags packed, forms at the ready, my rented loft waiting in my room to be assembled incorrectly -- I was ready to begin.

Now, I'm almost exactly at the same point (haha, pun!) that I was last year - bags are being packed, forms are being filled out. At the moment, I have no idea where the loft I rented for this year is...but almost everything is the same.

Except for the fact that everything has changed. Yes, I'm still the cinnamon roll that I'll always be (the "too good for this world, too pure" variety, mind you). Yes, I still love Captain America and tea and chicken more than I probably should. And yes, I'm still the awkward, geeky gal that sings a little bit too loudly.

But there are things that are different; things I've realized, things I wish I had known before. So, to the "me" from last year, here're some things that'll help you along during your first year of college:

You have way too much stuff

Believe me, half the things you thought you "needed" actually weren't. About two months into the semester, you figure out your go-to outfit that's easy to throw on ten minutes before your 9 a.m. class that you woke up late for. Which really renders most of your wardrobe useless, and takes up a lot of space that you could be using for more useful things. Like, somewhere to sit and do your homework...

This goes for everything on your desk as well; you don't need 87 thousand pens and pencils, 12 stacks of sticky notes, and every single sheet of paper you've ever written on. And the crafting supplies and tea? As painful as it is to say, you don't need it (all).

You actually need less than you think to survive the year, so don't spend too much of your time overpacking. The whole "less is more" is actually pretty true, so don't accumulate more than what you really need.

Carpe all the diems!

What you should be accumulating, however, is memories. Experiences, adventures, late-night talks with someone new -- these are what you'll treasure more than the objects you've collected. Seizing the day by taking every moment as they come, saying yes to new opportunities, and doing things you never thought you would do will not only help you learn about yourself and what you're capable of but can also help forge relationships with new people. You will make great, lasting relationships through the diems you carpe, so go ahead -- have an adventure!

(But please be careful when doing so! Sometimes you'll end up in some interesting scenarios; use your good judgment skills before seizing the day!)

Discipline is a thing

Your professors aren't going to be chasing after you get your work done like how they did in high school. Some actually don't really care. And because you're living on campus, you've got a lot of time on your hands. Use it wisely...

Cultivate a sense of discipline towards your studies and learn some time management skills. It's gonna bite you in the rear when you don't learn them soon enough, and then you're scrambling to cover your butt when something's not quite up to par with one (or several) of your classes. Your grades, professors, and classmates will appreciate it.

Don't go looking for love and approval

New people means new relationships in your life -- some friendly, some professional, even some romantic relationships. And these relationships take some time to form, so don't rush them! Great relationships of any nature come to those who wait, so don't expect to be besties with someone immediately.

Likewise, don't expect to be besties with everybody. You're going to find out that you can't win the affections of everybody; some people, you're just not going to vibe well with. And that's okay -- your circle of friends that you're going to find is worth so much more than the affections of everyone else. They're the ones who care about you, so stick with them, carpe some diems, and you'll be set!

Bad things are gonna happen...

...and that's okay. I'm not going to lie, there's going to be quite a few times that it's going to happen. And yes, things are going to be a little bit more difficult because things don't quite go according to plan. But you've gotta be able to not let it slow you down. You've got a goal to achieve while here, so take a deep breath and keep going.

Getting your BFA in Musical Theatre isn't easy by any means, and external circumstances don't make it any easier. But something that's going to help with it is tenacity under extreme situations; being able to handle a difficult environment with grace and a level head. And you've got what it takes to get through tough times -- you've got this.

ASK FOR HELP!!!

I cannot stress this enough. You're going to have an incredible support network that is there to help you. Please don't be afraid to ask for help. I know you think that doing so makes you look dumb and that you can do this on your own.

But you'll learn that it's okay to admit that you're stuck, to say I can't do this. In all honesty, it's a symbol of strength, to recognize that you can't do everything. And that's where your support network comes in - your professors, your classmates, your awesome friends that have your back, your mom (who you should call), and even various healthcare professionals. They are all more than willing to help you with whatever's going on; nobody is an island, nobody goes it alone.

Don't worry, because everything's gonna be okay

College is for learning, for making mistakes. It's for learning about yourself, for growing up. And obviously, getting your BFA in Musical Theatre. What it's not for is worrying. I know, it's a tall order, and right now it feels impossible. It's still a major challenge for me, but when you look back and see how much time you've spent worrying about stuff that turned out alright, well, you're going to feel pretty silly. Worrying is a non-productive activity that just makes things more stressful, in turn making you worry more and becoming an endless cycle of stress and anxiety --of which you don't need any more of.

The best advice you'll receive regarding this is to "let the universe take over." Just let everything fall into place, and do the best you can with what you've got. You can only fix what you have control over, and just let everything else do its thing. It'll be alright, I promise :)

...

Y'know, I could tell you more and give you more advice, but it'd take all the fun out of your freshman year! Like what new hobby you'll pick up, who your boyfriend's going to be, or all the musicals you're gonna become utterly OBSESSED with. Especially the one about the founding fathers, haha. But, spoilers...so, I wish you the best this year and wish me the best for this year. I'll see you soon!

Inspiration for this article: "Letter to Me" by Brad Paisley; "No Man Is An Island" by John Donne; "No One Is Alone" from Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods;