At this time last year, freshman year of college seemed like the most daunting, yet exciting thing to come. The countdown to the day I would move into my dorm room was a constant reminder that a new adventure was waiting for me to arrive and I could not wait. From the moment I unlocked my dorm room, met my RA and ate my first meal in the cafeteria, I knew the person who first walked into my little dorm would not be the same as the one who would walk out at the end of the year. Now that it has been a month since I finished my freshman year, looking back, there are so many things that I wish I knew walking into it.

1. Not everyone you meet is going to be your best friend.

When I first arrived at college, there were so many new people to meet and faces to remember! I was constantly making a bunch of new friends, going to the cafeteria with different groups of people, involved in various group texts, and got along with mostly everybody. Yet, not everyone I met was my "friend." There were just some people I did not have a strong connection with. That does not mean that I am at fault, or they were at fault. You are not meant to be friends with everyone in this world.

2. There will be cliques, but that does not mean you have to be a part of one.

With all the chaos the first couple weeks of the first semester brought, I distinctly remember walking around campus and seeing a ton of cliques strutting around campus. I remember getting so anxious and nervous because I thought that this was how it was going to be the entire year. I remember that I was also part of one of those cliques. As the year progressed, I met new people and found the people I meshed with. That does not mean I ditched the first group and went on to the next. I found that in college, you do not have to form to one group. Sometimes, it is better to switch it up and have multiple friends in multiple groups -- it keeps life interesting.

3. Exploring and adventuring are the best ways to create memories.

Some of the best memories I have from freshman year were all of the hikes I took with my friends. Waking up early and piling into the car only to hike a couple of Colorado's most popular trails were some of the most memorable moments that I will never forget. The views were gorgeous and were well worth waking up early and long drive. Get yourself out of that little dorm room and see the world!

4. Be the bigger person.

I think that I found myself saying this at least once a day. There will be drama that you run into (yes, drama still exists in college) but it is important to let things go. Sometimes, you have to just let things go. Stop arguing, let the other person be right. When conflict arises, turn around and walk the other direction. Learn to admit that you are wrong and move on.

5. Studying is important.

Most of my grades were comprised of just a couple tests and essays, that was it. One exam could be a fourth of your grade, so you have one chance to do it right. These tests would usually cover multiple chapters of dense material, so cramming the day before is not an option. There is a major difference between tests in college and tests in high school, that being in high school you can bomb a test and earn back your grade in other ways, in college you can not.

6. Let people in.

It can take a while to gain trust from others and let them take a place in your life. Yet, if you do not take a risk and tell people about yourself, you will create walls that will be very hard to break down. Once you let people into your life, you will not only learn so much more about other people, you will also learn more about yourself. Your friendships will only grow.

7. Ask for help.

Office hours are truly a blessing in disguise. Your professors actually want you to succeed and do well in their course, they will be the person who is always there for you. They are college professors for a reason, they enjoy their profession and love it. Whenever I went into office hours, my professors were always thrilled that I had come in and even thanked me for coming in as I left. Your RA knows it all, they have at least a year of college under their belt, so they have multiple experiences to teach you from. Lastly, when your friends see you in distress and offer their guidance, take them up on it, they will help in any way to see you thriving again.

8. Sleep is so important.

I cannot tell you the number of times I slept through my alarm because I was so exhausted, and woke up to my friends pounding on my door (thank you) so I had to physically get out of bed to open it and quickly get dressed to make it to class on time. There were nights I went to bed so late, I could not even wake up the next morning. I noticed that those next days I was extremely sluggish, and had a hard time paying attention in class. I learned how to manage my time so I could get to bed a decent hour, and not press my snooze button a dozen times the next morning.

9. You need to work out.

I have never really been one of those big work out junkies, but finding time to hit the gym (even if is every once in a while) can have extreme benefits. Whenever I was in a funky mood, I would plan to go to the gym and I would always feel better afterward. My favorite time to go would be on a weekend, late at night (when no one was there). I would sleep so well that night and I felt good about myself.

10. You can be anyone you want to be.

In college, you have a clean slate. If you're like me and the only one from your high school who goes to your college, you will be surrounded by a bunch of people who have no idea who you are. Whereas in high school, everyone had known you for quite some time, some even since kindergarten! College is the time to mold yourself into the person you always wanted to be. You do not have to worry about your past influencing how others perceive you. Although I do recommend that being yourself is the most important thing, for it is how you will flourish and thrive.

If I could go back to the moment where I first unlocked my dorm room door and saw my roommate and her family helping her move in, I would do so in a heart beat. While nerve-wracking at first, there were so many lessons learned and things that I wish I had known. Freshman year is a time of challenges and new beginnings, but I am grateful for them, as it has helped shape the person I am right now.