It's hard to believe that freshman year is already over. It really flew by. I thought senior year went by fast. This seemed to happen even faster, which is hard to believe. It seems like just yesterday I was attending orientation. Now, freshman year is over and I'm that much closer to entering the real world. Here are just a few things I've learned over the past year.

First, community takes time. You won't find your best friends within the first week. In fact, it always seems to be changing. You're constantly meeting new people. Don't be worried if you don't feel like you belong during your first month, or even your first semester. Community doesn't happen over night. It takes time to build deep and meaningful relationships, but those friendships are worth it.

Get involved! Whatever you do, don't just spend your time in your time. Go to events in your building. Take part in intramurals. Join some clubs. Getting involved allows you to meet so many people that you wouldn't have met otherwise and it gives you opportunities for you to grow and learn.

Don't be afraid to try something new. It doesn't have to be big. You may try something for the first time in college and find a passion for it. You can learn a lot from experiencing new things and trying things that may scare you. Challenge yourself.

Find balance. This can be extremely difficult in college. You want to make sure you spend a lot of time studying and getting the best grades you can, but you also want to do more than study. You want to be able to be involved in the community and attend events and meetings. You want to spend quality time with your friends and continue to grow and deepen those relationships. You want to go on adventures. Try not to spend so much time on one part of your life that you forget to live out the other parts.

It's okay to do things on your own. I remember in high school, no one ever wanted to eat alone in the cafeteria. While it's still nice to sit with friends, it's also okay to sit alone. Sometimes it's nice just taking a break and relaxing from all the things you need to do. Don't be afraid to go to the coffee shop by yourself, to the library by yourself, to the local park or anywhere else by yourself. Sometimes you just need time alone, and that's okay.

Take every opportunity presented to you. You may be rejected and turned down, but you make get accepted and be able to pursue that opportunity further. Don't be afraid to take a chance because you're too scared that you're not good enough or not qualified enough. You'll never know unless you try, and you can always learn something from trying.

College is honestly the best part of my life so far. It's so different and unique and challenges you in ways you couldn't even imagine. Enjoy your freshman year while you can and take it all in because it won't last forever.