A year ago today, I was busy watching YouTube videos about dorm room decorations and move-in vlogs. I didn't know if my roommate and I would get along. I barely knew what my campus looked like. And I sure as hell didn't know if I would even make any friends. But a lot has changed in one year. I survived my first year of college. And in that first year, I have met some of the best people I'll ever know. I had great experiences and learned how to be independent without the threat of being grounded or missing curfew. But looking back on it now, I also don't think I really milked the most out of my freshman year. Instead of joining clubs and going on crazy adventures, I kind of made a little safety net with the people I met my first week. I didn't really get involved with extra curricular activities. Instead, I preferred to spend Friday nights with a bowl of chipotle and watching Jane the Virgin. None of this is bad but I didn't put myself out there as much as I should've. This is not to say I was some sort of hermit because I did do A LOT but just not enough to satisfy the little socialite within me.

Because I wasn't necessarily satisfied with my freshman year, I felt a lot of regrets over the summer. I didn't want to grow up and be a sophomore. I wanted kind of a re-do year to do all the things I should've done. Obviously, that can't happen. But instead of dwelling on the past I've decided to move on and accept my first year of college as a learning experience because it's actually normal to hole yourself up after being placed in a completely new environment.

Now, going into my second year of college, I have a lot of goals for what I want to accomplish for myself. Grades are number one of course. But instead of just trying to get a good grade in classes I want to really take things that get my heart pumping. I want to find my niche because to be truly successful in life, you have to love what you do. Second, I really want to put myself out there. I want to join clubs and make different groups of friends. Don't get me wrong, some of the relationships I've developed over my first year of college are for life but I want to expand my circle a little bit. I hope to be so much more involved in campus life by the time next year rolls around. And finally, this one is a need not a want. I need to have crazy college stories. Looking back on my life in general, I think I have maybe one crazy story that has been funny enough and memorable enough to share with others. I crave adventure and I plan on getting my fill of it this next year.

The point of this is to inspire incoming freshman and upperclassman. Don't fall into a slump and let college pass you by. These are supposed to be the best years of our life (which I don't necessarily agree with, but that's a different story.) Instead of regretting the past focus on making the future great. I can already feel that this year is going to be a great one. I for one cannot wait to start this next mini-chapter of my college experience.