With Thanksgiving break over, the semester is officially coming to a close. So many things have happened this semester that have helped me grow. It went by faster than I thought it would, but I have learned quite a lot about myself.

I learned that you need to study WAY more in college than in high school. It is better to do assignments, and other homework like papers in advance so you don't get overwhelmed. Especially towards the end of the semester, there are a lot of papers, and projects due along with the finals themselves that can be quite intimidating if you don't start early.

If you're a girl, you do not need to worry about boys, or having a boyfriend. Stressing yourself out over a boy is not worth losing sleep, focus, or missing class. Your first year is for you to find yourself, and who you are. It's your chance to make new friends, and experience things for the first time. Take time to get to know people, and work on figuring out a steady routine.

It is so hard to get into a routine, especially because you do not get to pick your classes for the first semester. I had so much trouble getting into a routine. I would sleep at different times, eat at different times, and was constantly sick. My advice is to plan out your week so you can better prioritize what needs to get done, but also still have time for yourself.

Speaking of, always make time for yourself. Even if its one hour of the day. Take a break. Relax. Go outside. Write in a journal. Take a trip. Go out with friends. Watch a movie. It is so important to take care of yourself in college. You will spend most of your days doing school work, so it's a good thing to take an hour, or maybe even a day, where you can just do what you want to do.

I learned that being social and making friends will help you ease in college and be more comfortable. I picked my roomates my first year, which I do recommend, but sometimes you will be surprised when picking a random roomate. You have to live with your roomate(s) for a whole year, so my advice would be to make sure you get to know who you are rooming with.

You will find yourself in certain conflicts and situations that are negative. Be mature. You are an adult now, act like one.

I learned that you will get homesick no matter how badly you want to get out of your town and start a new life. You will miss them, so reach out to them, and talk to them at least once a week.

But I also learned to not be so hard on myself when it comes to all of these things. Friends will come, grades will come if you put in the effort, the most important thing is to find out who you are, who you want to be, and who you want to surround yourself with through your college career.