It is something that every high school senior feels nervous about. The transition between high school and college can be a very difficult process for most. You are away from your family, your friends, and everyone that helped you back in your hometown. You have thanked these people a countless amount of times for helping you reach this point, but now, it is time to start a new chapter of your life. You ask yourself a million questions throughout your first semester at college. And the reason you survived is because of this one thing: your mentors.

The truth is, most college freshmen don't think about this when going to school because they try to teach us to be "independent." But having mentors can have a huge impact on your college experience. The truth is, the transition is hard, whether you want to admit it or not. There are so many things to learn in so little time, and you are just trying to figure it all out. Most of the time, your mentors can come unexpectedly to you. You will not know when and how, but when they do come into your life, it is like a whole different world. A mentor is usually defined as an experienced and trusted adviser, but they are so much more than that.

A mentor is someone you know who you can ask ANYTHING to. You can ask them about professors they have had to see if you want to take them or shoot them a text asking about the student life. A huge thing about mentors is that they create an environment where you know you can ask them about anything, and you know they will not get mad, because the truth is, they like answering questions for people. They know what it is like being in your shoes, and they want to see you succeed. The chances that they had a mentor when they were a freshman is very likely, and all they want to do is help the next in line.

The start of your freshmen year is the start of your career. You are going to start learning about internships, career options, and many more survival skills. A mentor is the perfect way to help you get started. Usually when you come across your mentor, it is someone who is your same major, has a similar career interest as you, or they are just a really cool and amazing person. Sometimes when you are starting a new journey, your self-confidence can be affected, because you may mess up. Mentors will be there to pick you back up when you fall, and that can build your confidence back up very quickly. Hearing a compliment or getting words of wisdom from someone you look up to is huge, and is one of the best feelings in the world.

So if you are blessed with one or two mentors during your time in college, do NOT take them for granted, and make sure when you get the chance, you thank them for helping you through your daily life.