On December 31, 2016, I wrote an Instagram post as well wishes to myself for 2017. It was a beautiful caption under a picture of me and my best friend standing in front of the Statue of Liberty. I made myself vulnerable to social media, my friends, and family that day. I was in a large state of change when those words flowed through my fingertips and out into the world.

I had actually forgotten about this said Instagram caption until I was reminded of a social media clean out. The last couple sentences of this caption read: “so here's to 2017. a year of new friendships to accompany the old, new places to fall in love with, new foods to try, and new memories to make. it will get better, it always does.”

Upon reading those sentences recently, reliving those moments of vulnerability, I am reminded that a year can change someone, slowly, kindly and without reason, you can change from a person filled with confusion and anxiety to someone filled with joy and love for your current moment of life, regardless of if you know where the road is taking you.

The transition from high school to college is always tough. Everyone struggles the first semester of freshman year with either being away from home, adapting to a different learning environment or taking advantage of the ultimate freedom of being an adult. Or maybe you’re like me, struggling to balance all three of those things.

The thing with that is, that is completely normal. It’s normal to struggle, mature, learn and grow from new things. Not only have I grown from my transition from high school student to a college student, I have grown throughout all of 2017. I have become a stronger woman, a more loving friend, more of a listener than a talker, and learned that eating in a restaurant by yourself is more than okay.

We are often so caught up in the rush of society, telling us to be this and do that, that we often forget who WE really are.

We forget that we are individuals, learning, growing, and figuring out our own unique lives. We forget that some days will be bad, some days will be extravagant, and some days will expel gray over our lives, but all those days come together in a compilation to make us become better humans.

Every sunset leads to a new sunrise, every bad experience teaches a lesson, and every bad day rises into a new one. We are living this life for more than going through the motions.

From every road traveled to every song sang, to every word spoken, no moment of your life goes unseen or unheard. This life you are living is important, significant, and constantly changing, but so are you. Personal growth is a beautiful, fun, exhilarating experience that we are lucky enough to witness for ourselves first hand.

So, If you are like December 31, 2016, me and you are vulnerable to this world and life you are living, I want to sit here and be the first to reassure you that it will get better, it always does. It will not always be easy, you will not always climb out of bed with a smile on your face, or even at all.

You will not always feel loved, appreciated, or lovely, but you are growing, learning, and maturing. It’s a crazy beautiful life, you’re here and you’re living it.