It seems like yesterday that it was August 31 and I was packing up my car to move into college and then I blinked and it is December 21 and I am packing up my dorm room to head home for winter break with a semester of college done. It has been a whirlwind of a semester, from trying to find my classes and making new friends for the first time in years to the stress of final exams and hard goodbyes with my closest friends at school. As I sit here taking more finals and thinking about spending six weeks home, the longest I've been back since August, I am reflecting on all of the changes and experiences and lessons I have had in my first four months at college.

People want to be your friend. In college we are all looking for a fresh start, for whatever reason, we all ended up here. People are excited to get to know you, the real you, and make new friends. So be open, hear people out and embrace new friendships.

Time isn't as important as I thought. People I have known for three months are some of the most amazing, incredible, loyal, and loving people I know. Who could have thought I could consider someone I met only a few months ago to be like family? Put yourself out there and you could end up with friends for life.

Never forget where you came from, but don't be too caught in your past. Let things go, the past is the past for a reason. You came here with a fresh start, so embrace it. But, as much as you love your present, never forget how you got here. Your hometown, high school, family, and friends got you to where you are today, so don't forget to call and visit every once in a while, its good for both of you.

Work hard. You don't have to be the smartest, but you do have to work the hardest. Grades don't come easy and hard work pays off. Those Saturday nights you stayed in and those Monday nights studying until 3 am pay off. Don't forget, you are here to get a degree.

Remember who you are. College is filled with so many new faces and new opportunities, its easy to change yourself to "fit in" and although change may come, don't drift to far from your true self, your friends will love you for who you are, and you'll love yourself a whole lot more too.

Bad grades, bad days, and bad weeks come and go. Even the worst days only have 24 hours. One mistake, one bad test, one bad class won't make or break you. You'll struggle sometimes and question why things are so hard, but take a deep breath and bounce back.

Enjoy every moment. It seems like yesterday I moved in and today I'm taking my last final of my first semester. It truly does go by in the blink of an eye, so don't miss it. Study for those tests, but enjoy yourself, take some time to explore new opportunities, subjects, places, and people, after all these four years will be gone before you know it.