Leaving high school was very scary for me. My school was small, I had a few friends and I was happy with that. I was never the type of person to go out my way to connect with lots of different people.

Everyone experiences their first year of college differently. Being more on the shy side, I was anxious when I thought of entering college last summer. I thought I wouldn’t meet anyone who likes the same things I do and I feared being alone. For me, it was by far the most eventful year of my life. I have never experienced so many ups and downs throughout the course of a few months. I had never met so many different people and experienced so many different things.

But, I decided early on that the only way to overcome fear and come out of my shell at college was to be myself. I realized that the people I really wanted to be around were the ones who could make laugh, who I could be myself around and not worry about changing myself to fit in.

I’ve learned that it is important to be with people who make you feel like you’re wanted, even if it is something as simple as them inviting you to dinner or asking you to watch a movie on a weeknight. Those are the people who you want to be around.

Trying to remain true to myself has become easier. By not conforming myself to anything other than my personality I was able to meet one of the best friends I have ever had. Ever since we met, we have been inseparable. So much so, that we decided to room together for second semester. Now we are going to enter our sophomore year together as roommates. I never would have anticipated meeting someone so much like myself at college. She has helped me though my toughest times at school and I know that I have made a true friend for life.

There are still lots of questions I have about myself and I want to learn the answers as I go on with these next three years. I am thankful that I have this summer to be with my family and get a break from being around people my age all the time and I have some time to think about myself before I enter my next year of school.

As I look back on this year, I know that I have goals that I have yet to accomplish. While having fun and enjoying yourself is an essential part of college, getting good grades and being involved is far more important. It’s okay to not go out every weekend and it’s okay to not be friends with everyone. I want to join a club, possibly rush a sorority, get an internship, and have as much fun as possible. I still have a lot to learn about life as I enter my sophomore year.

Breaking out of my shell and being myself was the best thing I ever did my freshman year. I want to enter my next year with even more confidence, and use what I know now to make next year the best it can be.