Right before moving into college last year, emotions were running wild. I was scared, but excited; sad, but happy to be independent; nervous, but ready to start fresh and move on. Luckily, because I picked the greatest college in the entire world, all my negative emotions were put to rest as soon as I finished unpacking -- all-in-all, I couldn't have asked for a better first year.

It's right before move in again, and I feel nothing but excitement for the upcoming school year. I'm preparing in a completely different way.

Freshman year, you have to be ready for changes in all aspects of your life. Everything that you thought you knew before is suddenly questioned. Balancing keeping in touch with friends from home, trying to get good grades while simultaneously having a social life and adjusting to different types of professors (among everything else that has changed) can get extremely overwhelming. Plus, being away from your family (and dog) gets tough too, as much as we don't like to admit it. At the end of the year, all of the tears, stress and bored-eating is worth it, though.

However, as I'm getting ready to leave home, I'm realizing that within the next nine-ish months, I will be focusing on one thing that is much more important than anything I previously thought -- myself.

Now that I know my way around campus, have lots of friends and know when/how to study (more importantly, nap) best, I can really start to not only find myself, but better myself mentally, which is something that, unfortunately, gets put on the back burner far too often with people my age. This year will be the year of new beginnings because of toxic endings of the past.

All of my time and energy will be invested in growing into a better person, physically, mentally and emotionally. I will give the same love that I give to others, to myself as well. I will designate time for breaks, relaxation and doing things that I enjoy most. I will allow myself to feel emotions fully, instead of constantly pushing them away. I want to not only smile and laugh more, but feel true, wholesome happiness.

But above all, I promise to put myself first this year, and I am so excited.