Change—it could be scary, it could be exciting, it could be a little bit of both—but it’s necessary.

This past year was a huge learning experience. It was my first year of college, meaning it was my first year on my own. It was very frightening at first, but it became one of my best learning experiences I could ever have. One of the many and biggest lessons I learned was that things change and that's OK. I was the the person who used to hate change. Even if the littlest thing my life changed, I didn't handle it very well. For example, I was in the same school system for 12 years,I had to have the same group of friends,and I was involved in the same sports and same clubs year after year. If anything changed within that, like I stopped being friends with someone, I would be crushed. It would be bug me into no end that something in my life that small had to change. Then, I came to find out that change can be a good thing.

It is kind of insane how much in my life has changed in little under a year. I started school at a different place, made new friends and had some great experiences I didn't imagine myself doing. For example, some of the people who I am close friends with now, weren't the type of people I associated with. I have become less judgmental, less quiet, and more independent. Which personally was very scary, but looking back, I really don't regret all the changes I made my self and the ones that just happened. Things do change every day. But it’s like they say—day-by-day nothing seems to change, yet when you look back numerous things can seem different. Change always occurs even though we aren't always completely aware of it happening.

The thought can be scary, change used to be something I hated. It goes to show how fast time passes. Looking back on the way things use to be do make me sad or regretful. I do miss the people that I used to have in my life and sometimes the way I used to be, on certain occasions. But I try not to be afraid, sad or have regrets. I Instead embrace the changes that are taking place in my life.

The point I am trying to make is, enjoy the moment you're in. Enjoy your close friends and every lunch date that you have with them. If you are in high school, enjoy every Friday night football game, enjoy having those summers off and sleeping in your own bed every night. If in college, enjoy every boring lecture, enjoy all those late nights at the library and enjoy the people you meet. Enjoy the moment, but when all of that changes, it is OK.

These new things in your life are necessary, though. You would never grow, never experience new things, and never meet new people. New situations and experiences allow you to learn from others and to better yourself. The way you see the world and the things around you will change because you've now experienced things that you never had before. New doesn't mean bad, it just means unfamiliar.

The point is, you yourself change as you get older. That being said, change in your life is necessary. Also one of the biggest and most important lessons one can learn.

Things change, and it's OK.