After getting a taste of what college is like, I can guarantee you how much of a difference of it is than high school. Everyone thinks you have to be a new person because you’re a little older and in a place that will literally lead you to your future. There are plenty of times where I would have to question if I could even survive college, mainly because I didn’t know how successful I could be. That’s the best thing about college; you never know what you’ll experience until you get there, and that you accomplish things you never thought you would. So, if my high school-self was here, these are the things I wish I knew.

It’s okay to not be the best.

Everyone in high school told you colleges wouldn’t accept you if you didn’t have the best SAT scores, or that you wouldn’t survive in college if you waited until the last minute to complete an essay. I wish I knew that I didn’t have to put so much effort into SAT scores. I wish I knew that this type of test cannot define me. Besides, if you ended up picking a school that was a SAT-optional school like I did, you’ll realize all the classes you took for the SAT were not as important as you thought.

You will have plenty of opportunities.

I wish I knew in high school that I didn’t need to accomplish every little thing I wanted to before college. I wish I knew that if I didn’t do a certain thing in high school, or I missed a chance at going somewhere, that I wouldn’t feel as if I missed my chance. You will experience so much in your short four years of college; so don’t worry about the things you didn’t do in high school; there are four whole years waiting for you.

You don’t have to have your life planned out.

Remember everyone asking you what you wanted to study? Or what your plans were after college, even though you hadn’t even started it yet? I wish I knew it was okay to not have everything figured out right away. I wish I knew how to be patient, and not rush into the future so quick. We have the rest of our lives to be adults, so why speed through it?

You don’t need to let go of your past so much.

Everyone constantly told you that you couldn’t listen to certain music, watch Disney movies, or you couldn’t bring high school relationships to college. I have seen so many Disney movies played during college events. I have witnessed relationships become stronger than ever because long distance meant nothing to them. After being a college student, I wish my high school-self knew that I didn’t have to change the way I see my happiness.

You don’t have to be afraid of the future.

I wish I knew that college isn’t as scary as people say it is. I wish others told me that I would be making friends that would last me a lifetime and that I actually get to study what I love every day. There’s always new beginnings and new endings, but I wish we knew that when one door closes, another will always open.

So, to my high school self,

If only you knew what you will be capable of in college. You have so much waiting for you when you start. The opportunities are endless, and the best is yet to come.