Most people say that their freshman year of college was far from perfect. But for me, it almost was. I had a great group of friends, I was doing surprisingly well in school, and each day got better and better; my college life was way better than I thought it would be.

As sophomore year rolled around, I was expecting this same day-to-day excitement. To my surprise, this was definitely not the case. All of the exciting aspects of college that I had no idea existed until my freshman year were now daily aspects of my life. I was no longer meeting new people every day, and I was definitely not pleasantly surprised by the dining hall food at all.

As a second semester sophomore, I still think about my freshman year memories. Freshman year was when everything was new and exciting, people weren’t as busy with their lives, and there was more time to hang out with friends. This year, a lot of things changed. My hobbies changed, my classes changed, my friends changed, and my day-to-day activities changed. It's normal to reflect on these memories, just as long as you aren't living in the past.

As I reflect back on my sophomore year of college, it’s definitely been one of the most eye-opening years of my life. I’ve gotten more in-depth in my classes, met so many new people, and realized that college is really what you make of it. Even though college presents many temptations, academics definitely do come first. I have matured, grown, and learned to adapt to the changes and new responsibilities that come with being a sophomore in college.

In just a few months, I’ll be studying abroad which will present an even bigger challenge for me, as my whole environment will change. Even though I’ll be sad to leave the school I call home for a semester, I will learn to embrace the change.

For better or for worse, change is the one constant in our lives. Even though some changes may be difficult to adapt to, it’s important that we accept them. Without change, we wouldn’t be the people we are today.