College is not easy. Shocker, I know right? Some people can adapt to new places and schedules very easily. Most people learn to start new and let college be a new experience. Start new and understand we are not in high school anymore. Make this new event in their life count.

I did not do that. Not in my first two years at least. I took high school practices into college as well as taking high school drama into college with certain people. Both of these showed to be awful things to continue to do. I was not letting myself mature and become the person I was supposed to be.

The first problem was with a friend at the time. She and I did not anticipate going to the same college would be an issue. Long story short, it was. The relationship kept me in my high school mentality, and I was stuck dealing with this issue until I was finally able to sit down with another friend and talk about it. This was only the first problem I took with me.

The second was my study habits. They are better now, but they were on the same level as my high school attempts. Cram the night before, that works in high school it does not now. You have to be smart and give yourself multiple days now to make sure you have the knowledge.

That all came crashing down on me when I was put on academic probation. In high school, a bad grade was just a bad grade that you can take on the chin. You can only do that so many times in college. At that point, I knew I had to get my act together.

Starting last year and going into this year I sat down with myself and decided this needs to get back on track. I got myself off of probation the following semester. I bought a planner to help me stay on top of deadlines. I had to reinvent myself and look at the people around me as well.

After the first semester of my junior year, I felt like I had really started to get back to a place I should be at. A place I should have been at coming into college. Yes, that first semester of college is rough learning the way college works, but that is something you can overcome.

My advice to anyone starting college is simple. Let go. Wipe your slate clean of everything and everyone that truly is not a key person in your life. Start over. Be you and you unforgivingly. Do not be afraid to be yourself and speak your mind. I finally decided to do so. Be free, it is a great feeling. Enjoy where it takes you. I started new, and so can you.