When I was in high school, I thought my teachers were just teachers. Turns out I was wrong: they were my inspiration.

Upon entering my freshman year of college, I took with me the advice and inspirational messages that were given to me by my high school teachers. I missed them, but I didn't think anything about the things they told me. That is, until I started my sophomore year of college.

Senior year of high school, a few of my teachers told me that college will be my time to focus on myself. I need to help myself now; it's my turn to get the TLC I have been giving everyone else. I was told to learn to be selfish and find my happiness. Well, I didn't quite do that freshman year and it turned out to be a miserable. After finally being sick and tired of not being happy, I decided I needed a big change.

Part of that processes involved going to China to study abroad. I have always wanted to go to China, so when the opportunity rose I jumped on it. That gave me something to look forward to while freshman year was winding down. Once I moved out of my freshman dorm, I started focusing my energy on my trip and on little things that made me happy. I worked a little bit, went to church, brought my mom coffee when she was at work, and so on. Once it came time for my trip, I was off to China with strangers (who are now really good friends).

Once in China, I met everyone in the program and realized two things. 1. I stick out like a sore thumb. 2. No matter what I do, I will be looked at weird/judged because I stick out. Both of these things, once I accepted them, made it easier to try new things and make this adventure my own without worrying what other people think. After the first week, I made great friends, laughed a lot, and got to see amazing things.

I was afraid that, in coming home my happiness will be lost because of the familiarity of being home. But I refused to let that become true. I take what I learned from my experiences in China, and used it to help find myself again in the United States. I regularly go to church, and I spend time with my family as much as I can. I am taking a private piano instruction course and hanging out with people who care about me. Also, I spend time by myself (I am currently living without a roommate) and focusing on my mental/emotional health.

Being in college can be challenging. Students tend to get burned out easily. It is so important to make sure you are okay and to do things that keep you grounded to your true self. It's never to late to be happy.