As someone going across the country to do her second year at college, I have been reflecting a lot on the last year. The first thing that I want to say is that the excitement that I had to go to college a year ago is still here. I am still excited to go and ready to see my friends again. I’m excited about my classes and to spend time with my favorite professor. I have a lot going for me this year that I didn’t have last year, the most important one being a support system. Between friendships and professors, I have a good support system that I know will be there for me through anything. And I think that is the biggest reason why there is no anxiety going into this semester, but rather a sense of readiness and fun looking ahead of me. But don’t get me wrong I am going to miss home. Like spending time with my parents, playing with my dogs, my parent’s cooking, and my hometown friends. And yes I have cried about going back, especially when I know what is looming after college graduation: the unknown of adulting *dun* *dun* duuuuuuuuunnnnnnnn*. But I know I am where I am suppose to be and that’s what is important right now, not the uknown of the future.

But I would also like to say that just because I am ready to go back to college as a sophomore, doesn’t mean that all sophomores are. And that it’s totally okay to not be ready to go back to college. One of my best friends isn’t ready to go back yet. But that doesn’t mean that she won’t have a great year/that she didn’t have a great first year. Because we both did, just in really different ways. Or there are sophomores and juniors that will be starting over again after transferring, and might be just as nervous as the new freshman coming in, since it is a different culture and space to be than before.

Whatever your situation is, what you are feeling is normal. Sadness, happiness, excitement, anxiety, or even grief(especially if you are a freshman or senior grieving the end of an era). There is no right way to feel about college or do college. And as long as you feel good about your choice to be in college/know it is what is needed for you before entering the workforce, then try all you can to make it feel like home. And honestly, sometimes the first college you choose isn’t home, and that’s totally okay(that’s why transferring exists). Just give it your all. Try new things. Meet new people. Maybe try and take a class that is not in your favorite subject matter/major(if possible I know my university has an open curriculum yours might not). But ultimately college is what you make of it. And no matter how much you love your school it is totally normal to be sad to go no matter if you are five minutes away from home or five hours or twenty-five hours. And good luck this semester. It might be a busy one(I know mine is!).