Nathan Scott once said "It's the oldest story in the world. One day you're seventeen and planning for someday. And then, quietly, and without you ever really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life." It feels like just yesterday we were sitting in our room discussing who we would be someday and what we would be doing with our lives. That was 12 years ago. Without ever really noticing or paying much attention to time, we grew up.

Since you entered high school, whatever you did from that point on was going to determine your future. The amount of A's you had on your report card, whether or not you made varsity, and the countless hours you would spend on homework every night all would be accounted for on your college application. When you think about it, at 18 years old, you are required to make a decision that determines the rest of your life. What experience do you have? Not much.

All of your junior year and partly senior year was dedicated to researching and visiting the different colleges that would be your potential new home for the next 4 years. After watching your older siblings go through the college process you thought this would be a piece of cake because you and your parents were pros at researching colleges. Well, as you continued to move along through the process, you quickly realized that you didn't know as much as you thought you did. You are different than your siblings and want different things. Sometimes parents forget that so make sure you remind them.

Once everyone has their acceptances and has made their college choice, now comes the fun part...or so you thought. Once you put down your deposit, you'll be on a high off of the excitement for change and new experiences. What you don't realize just yet is that change can also be scary too. That's what older siblings are for. We can help you through it.

My biggest piece of advice for you is that your college experience is going to be YOUR college experience. Sometimes it will get off to a rocky start and sometimes it will be easy. No matter how it starts off, make sure you stay true to yourself and do the things that make you happy. It is not fair to you to stay four years at a place that does not make you happy. This is your life. As Hannah Montana once sang, "Life's What You Make It", college is what you make it.

As you begin to pack up the last 18 years of your life, remember that it is not the end, but the beginning. You are at the starting line for the rest of your life. From this moment until the finish line solely depends on you. There will be people along the way to pick you up when you fall down and home is just a phone call away, but it begins with you. Enjoy these next four years. It's just the beginning of your life.

Sincerely,

Your older and wiser sibling