To college freshman around the world,

First, I want to congratulate you on successfully completing your first semester at college EVER. I'm sure there were many tears and many new experiences. You probably met some amazing friends who made the fall semester just a little bit easier. You also probably joined some awesome clubs and had some great experiences with them. You also probably had some firsts, whether it's with romance or with social gatherings. Freshman year was fun and difficult at the same time, but now you're probably wondering, what about spring semester?

When you started your first fall semester, you probably felt like you were walking in a daydream (I know I felt that way), so the first few days of classes probably feel like a bit of a blur. When you had finally gotten into the routine of things, you were happy with it. You knew where your classes were, and you knew when you got lunch with different people and when you had your daily cup of coffee.

Well, that routine is about to change, and it'll feel very very weird.

In high school, we have our teachers for the entire year we are at school. This means we know what classes we are taking at what time, and who we sit with at lunch. We know which friends are in which class for the entire year, and by the end of your high school year, you have probably memorized a few of your own friend's schedules.

In college, it's different,

By the end of the fall semester, you have mastered your own schedule but no one else's. Every day you are still asking what time you normally get lunch, and who you go to dinner with. You're finally used to waking up for your 8ams only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. In other words, you're finally used to having a completely different schedule that you had in high school.

But that's all about to change.

You no longer have time to get your daily coffee at 10:30 am. Now you can only get your coffee at 11:45, but now there's a line and you debate getting coffee now. You no longer have an 8 am on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Now you have a three-hour lab at 8 am on Monday and you don't have class on Tuesday until 1:00.

The routine has officially changed, and it's a little more overwhelming than you would think. Fall semester you had a schedule, but now the spring semester schedule has totally changed. If you have a night class, you may be doing homework in the morning instead of at night. The next four months at schools has completely flip-flopped into something a little different.

But there's nothing to panic about, it's completely normal.

Think back to what you were feeling in the first few weeks of school. You had to get used to a schedule way out of your comfort zone. You'll be able to do it again. Prepare yourself for new teachers, new classes, and new routines.

Also, everything you got away with your first semester probably won't be happening again.

As you get further into your college career teachers see you more as adults than just their students. You really don't want to make excuses with your classes whether that be a missed class or a missed homework assignment. Not understanding how to use the websites to hand in your assignments such as Canvas or Blackboard, will probably be ignored. Having a fall semester under your belt, it's expected that you have a better understanding of how to use the provided school websites.

Lastly, a new semester is a way to bring a new you!

If you didn't like the way you did things fall semester, spring semester is able to wipe the slate clean. You will be able to fix the mistakes you made fall semester by learning from them. Most of the time you won't have the same professor you had a fall semester, so having a new and better relationship with your professors will be able to help you in the long run. Spring semester mostly is just a way to learn from the mistakes you made fall semester and build on the lessons you learned.

Not only that, but there is just as much fun spring semester as there was fall semester. You'll be able to join more things if you want or focus a lot more on the things you struggled to.

It's all up to you. Just think that you are hitting the restart button for a new semester.

Good Luck!