Entering college is both entering a heightened academic realm and realm of you.

Leaving the comfort and protection of your mother’s home and entering the world that never once prayed for you, as I have learned, is not easy. There are so many ways in which we are by default yanked from childhood and snatched into adulthood. There is nothing more adult than realizing that your mother’s prayers are no longer enough protection and guidance for you to aimlessly navigate the world and yourself.

To those of you who went from not being able to decide when and where to go and come from our parent’s homes, to suddenly having to choose what field we want to spend the rest of our 20’s in, I feel you. To those of you who went from home cooked meals every night, to suddenly depending on meal plans and not knowing what to put into our bodies, I feel you. For those of you who may have never loved your hometowns but were at least comfortable with familiarity and now must learn to familiarize yourselves with places you love even less than home, I feel you. To those of you who didn't have listening ears at home nor comforting shoulders to cry on, came to college and still couldn't find any, I feel you. To those of you that are failing, not doing as well as you can and don't know what you want to do, you're not alone. To those of you that are passing, doing well, but can't understand what is missing and why we still aren't happy or satisfied, I feel you too. To those of you miles away, learning new cultures, languages, and trying to subdue barrier after barrier, I understand you. To those of you who are here in college and how we got here is pretty much a blur, same. To those of you who are excelling in every aspect and can't relate, I’m happy for you, truly. To those of you that are in college and don't want to be here, I understand you. To those of you that here and still haven’t escaped your demons, I see you. To those of you that are here and the world seems to be spinning, speeding and collapsing around you, I understand your pain. To those of us that have been here, are about to leave and are just as confused as when they first entered, I get it. This transition from child to adult is daunting both as a student and a human being. So many things must align that can't or won't. Your spirituality, your sense of self, your finances, your academics, your emotional and mental health, your physical health -you seem to need a plan for it all. You seem to need to know the resources for each aspect but you don't. I get that. I don't have the answers either, but in case you thought you were alone before you read this, you're not. For every day you wake up confused, understand that I do too but I make it a point to remember that bad times don't last forever. The world may rush you but when you feel like folding into a fetal position, close your eyes and listen to your own heartbeat Because somewhere else not too far from you another college student is doing the same. So here's to the years of confusion and the young people I know will make it out to the other side.