Yes, you did it. You graduated from high school and you’re moving on to bigger and better things. After all those years of dreaming about being in college, it’s finally here. You’re planning on moving away to college in just a few months and you’re petrified about leaving your family and friends behind. You’re scared of starting over again; only this time, it’s all going to be harder. Somehow it’s all going to work itself out. It’s all going to be okay.

You know how hard you’ve worked to get to this point. All those days of coming home from school to go right to work, then right home to work on homework. All those late-night meltdowns you had when it all seemed to be too much. You gave it all you had, and you made it this far. This is going to help you immensely during your years at school. Make sure you apply yourself the same way because it’s all going to feel the same, if not worse, sometimes.

Eventually you’ll realize that living at school isn’t what you want just yet, and that’s okay. As long as you do what makes you happy, change isn’t always going to be a bad thing. This lesson will come in handy many times during your first year of college, believe me. Even when something doesn’t seem like a good change at the time, it is usually for the better that it does. Remember this. Live by it.

Some days will be easier than other’s when it comes to college. Some days are meant to be fun and some are meant to be spent mostly on studying and homework. Make sure you know when you need to make time for one or the other. You’re supposed to work hard, but not so hard you make yourself crazy. Not only is this a time for you to learn about your Business major but it’s a time for you to learn about life and experiences.

All of this is important, but the most important thing to remember is not to get too caught up in your work that you forget to be you. Hang out with your friends or make some new friends. Go to an event on campus or go somewhere off campus with friends. Remember that college is about the experiences, too. Live your life while you still have some freedom left. 4 years seems like a long time but believe me, just like high school, it will be over in the blink of an eye. Take advantage of every opportunity. One day you might regret not taking a chance on something.

One day, freshman year will seem like a lifetime ago. When you walk across that stage and receive your diploma, you’ll think back to your first day of school and how scared you were to begin your journey. I hope you can remember everything you went through to get to this point. Even though something seems so easy to remember now, it might not in just a few short years. I hope you know what you’re in for, but I also hope you know how happy you will be that you decided to embark on this journey. You’ll be changed, but you’ll be a better person for it.

Love,

Yourself as a junior in college.