The college experience is assumed to be the same for every student and it's usually assumed to be the perfect experience. That's not always the case. Don't get me wrong, I love being in school but for a while, I didn't.

In high school, I did everything right. I got good grades, I did a million extracurriculars, I was so involved. I had a perfect resume for college and I was ready to go.

Long story short, my first semester didn't go as planned and I ended up staying home for the second semester. I had no idea where I wanted to continue school the next year, and frankly, I felt like I didn't know much about myself.

It was hard to handle at first. My entire life I always felt in control and now at this point I didn't. Is this what I get for doing everything right?

What I learned during this break was something that nothing I had ever experienced could have prepared me for.

Not everyone's college experience is the perfect and the fact that it isn't perfect doesn't mean you have failed. This experience only made me stronger in the end.

Where I am now, physically and mentally, is one of the best places I've ever been and I have my past to thank for that.

My note to the world is: Not everyone's college experience is going to be like the stereotype of "college is great at first sight", sometimes it takes a while to find your place, whether that means changing schools, taking a year off or meeting many people until you find yours. Every experience is a learning experience.