My first year at The University of Alabama allowed me to become a completely different person than who I left Cullman as nine months ago. Back in August, I didn't realize the importance of the things being brought into my life, but now as I look back, I can see how these things shaped my life into something completely different than what it was.

Now not everything that I learned is as monumental as others, but each realization has left an impact on my life in some way. So without further ado, here are the twelve things that I learned my freshman year here at UA that I'll never forget.

1. God knows what He is doing

Back in August, I came to school early for Camp 1831, and it fell short of my expectations when it came to making friends. So I went home the week after, returning early once again for a program called "Yea! Alabama". The first night, they had an amazing race style activity going on, but I didn't know anyone.

So I just walked there and got my food and called my mom to tell her that I was anything but happy. I pretty much cried on the way back because I was so afraid that I wouldn't make friends here. Now that seems crazy to me, but at the time, it was something I was really worried about.

Even when my mother told me that I would make friends, especially if I just got out of my comfort zone and sat down with random people. Now, I thank God for my mom's advice and His way of working things out because that next day I sat down with some random girls at a table for lunch and met my best friends.

So through this, I learned that I have to just relax and trust that God has everything under His control.

2. The friends you make in college will be your friends for life

Speaking of those random girls, I learned that my girls are going to be my girls for life. God put them in my life for a reason, and I am forever grateful for that. Who else is going to show up at your door at 10:30 at night just to hug you and let you know that they are here for you when your anxiety is out of the roof? Who else is going to give you advice when you seem to go off the rails for a quick second but still love you no matter what?

They were God sent, and I'm glad to call them my friends. I know that they will always be apart of my life no matter where we all end up. I fully plan on having them stand by me at my wedding, and I hope they are prepared for mine and Lakeidra's dancing at their own weddings

3. It's okay to go out and have fun

For the first semester of college, I really missed out because I had this stigma that going out would make me less of a student. I had never been to a party. I didn't drink or smoke. It didn't help that my at the time significant other had a tendency to discourage me going out at all and made me feel bad about wanting to go to parties.

However, I learned that this was irrational and just dumb. I've had so much fun this semester going out with my girls, and I'll never forget the things we've got into. I now have wild college stories that I will definitely be willing to tell you on another platform where my family can't see.

4. Some professors will leave an impact on your life long after their class ends

My first semester of classes was truly great because of the professors I had. It seems like eons ago that I was in their class now, but these people still have an impact on my life. I think about them often because they shared their lives with me.

For example, I still keep in touch with my Literature professor even though he left the University because he was a pivotal person in my first semester. Thanks to him, I have tried the Ben Franklin challenge in which I kept track of my flaws throughout the day for an entire week, and during the challenge, I had one of the best days of my life.

There wasn't anything really exciting about the day, but I had so much peace within myself and happiness as just went about my day that it still sticks out in my mind. I owe that to him and his class for pushing me to improve myself no matter what.

5. Learning to love yourself is hard, but you can do it

In high school, I was really self-conscious about my body. I still am, but I'm learning that I'm beautiful no matter what I think. Coming from a place where thick figures are seen as generally undesirable, I had a hard time believing that so many people found me attractive here.

Now, I'm wearing things that I would have never worn back home. I'm trying to be more confident in myself, and I learned that self-love is something you have to work at. I'm just thankful that I have my friends to hype me up all the time and give me advice. I just hope that they can see just how amazing and wonderful they are too.

6. Give, don't be manipulated

This is something that I really struggled with, and I still do on some occasions. I've always felt like I have to take care of people, and some people catch on to that and use me because they know I won't say no. Still, I've learned to cut those people out of my life because while giving is something I take pride in, I'm not going to let you use me.

7. Actions speak louder than words

One of the most important things I learned over the course of the past nine months is that a person's actions speak louder than their words. I had a hard time with this because I get distracted by words and use those to justify their actions.

Now, if you are going to tell me something but aren't going to show me that you care or that you are straight about the situation, I'll drop you. I don't have time for empty promises.

8. You will run into every single man you matched with on Tinder on multiple occasions

Apparently, if you match with me on Tinder, there is a 100% chance that we will some freaking how to run into each other somewhere on campus, and boy, it is uncomfortable. This is especially worse if you live in the same building and accidentally get on the elevator together.

That's when it takes eight years just to go down five floors. There have also been times when we are sitting in Fresh Foods and every other word that comes out of my mouth is "I matched with that guy on Tinder" as people go by.

9. There's more to life than grades, but your grades are still important

This semester has been really difficult for me when it comes to motivation. I have a really spread out and open schedule so I had a lot of free time on my hands. So I filled that free time with fun things instead of my work, and by doing so, I lost sight of my grades for a quick second.

I mean it wasn't anything crazy, but even the thought of getting a B scares me so I learned that I had to make equal time out for social and academic life.

10. You will never forget the memories you make in college... well, most things

For the most part, you will remember and cherish the memories you make in college forever. I will never forget boiling eggs in an oven by just putting them on the racks because we didn't have a pot.

The time my car blew a tire on Halloween when we were all dressed like fruit will be something I'll continue to tell people for the rest of my life. We've almost died because of my driving skills. We've seen people get arrested, we've been to Julio Jones private party, and we've run up and down the hallways screaming some pretty interesting things during truth or dare.

These are the times of our lives.

11. Don't leave the house without your headphones

NEVER!

Just don't do it because you will regret it all day long! No matter what, I grab my headphones in the morning because I need something to fill my bus ride, my walk to class, and my alone time spent jamming to music and cramming in work. If I don't have my headphones, I just feel off the entire day. So just don't forget them, and don't forget to charge them!

12. You will be different as time goes on, and there is nothing wrong with that

I think this tends to be the best thing that I've figured out while at UA. People have told me that I've changed since I've come down here, and I feel like sometimes they use that as an insult. However, I think the person that I've become is great. I've learned so much. I've experienced so much that there is no way that I could be the same person I was.

Also, what's the point of staying exactly who you were your entire life? There isn't a possible way to do that, but also, why would you want to?