If you’re like me, then you are a broke college student just trying to survive (mostly) on their own. I have a little help from my parents, and a little help from my college. But that’s about it. Things may seem daunting at times between group projects, papers, labs and studying for every single test, but I promise you can do it. You are here. You are in the best part of your life. Where you get to learn about society, learn about other students at your school and most importantly, learn about yourself and what makes you happy. They say college is better than high school (high school was OK for me), and so that makes me super excited about what will all go down in college. Remember, in college you’re starting out fresh, and this is the best way to actually reveal, to those that don’t know you, who you are and who you want to be.

I’m writing to you today just to remind you that you are likely in the process of the best four years of your life. Or five, six, or seven. However long it takes you to complete college, that’s OK, too. Keep in mind that you might have more on your plate than the average person, and that means that you can’t exactly do things the way everyone else is. I took a bunch of college classes in high school, so now I’m ahead. But I also know that there is a chance that I might fall behind sometime during my schooling, and I’m OK with that too.

Now is the time to explore yourself. I’ve learned so many things, just about myself, since starting college. I’ve learned that I really do like the peace and quiet, but there are also times where I need my music. I’ve learned that I don’t think I could ever live in a dorm, and the list just keeps going on. Some of you might want to party in college, and some of you already know you don’t. You will definitely learn a lot about yourself in the next upcoming few years.

At the same time, now is also the time to make (or maintain) lifelong friends. I’ve made a couple good friends in my first year, and I’m hoping to make more in my second year as I delve deeper into my career path. And “they” say (whoever “they” are) that college is really where you make some of your first lifelong friends because these people were with you when you were trying to figure out life on your own. These people knew the same struggles of working 28 hours a week while going to school full time and being part of a team.

You are here, in your prime. Stay up too late, study a massive amount, maybe eat too much candy, forget about a class, wait until the last minute to write a paper, successfully memorize your campus front and back or buy ice cream when you need it. Whatever you choose to do, I’m here to encourage you to make the best of it. Because you can’t get this time back.