I have been dreaming of this day for as long as I can remember.

From the last minute “stuffing the car with anything that you think you’re going to need,” to having your parents send you off with that final kiss goodbye; the time is finally here.

Many incoming college freshmen have the same assumptions that I have. I always ask myself, “Did I really just spend twelve years in school to only graduate and spend another four, and actually, have to pay for these?”

However, as I crossed off each day this summer on my calendar counting down to this day, here and now, I thought of a more positive outlook to the start of this new chapter of my life.

College is about new beginnings. It is a time where we can all shine and create our lives.

Yes, I am scared to be on my own and I am dreading the moment that I have to say goodbye to my family. However, we all have the opportunity to create something amazing out of ourselves while we’re here.

That is why it is okay to feel this way.

Let me tell you, it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to be nervous, anxious, excited, confused, and much more.

We’re all in the same boat.

We’re all nervous and excited to start classes.

Today, we will begin to carry our storage, bedding, and clothes up the what seems like 400 flights of stairs. We will meet classmates and professors and it will be a fresh start.

So, just remember as you sit on your bed in your dorm today, looking at your posters, books, and clothes, that we are all in this together. I know, it sounds cliché; however, it is true.

We are all going on this four-year journey (some even more) as a class, and I find it comforting to have others in the same situation as myself.

I was always told that the true friends that you meet in college will last a lifetime and that is one of the many things that excites me for moving in today. I know I am beyond ecstatic the day has come and this whole semester.

I cannot wait to meet new friends, join clubs, attend sporting events, go to theater shows, and so much more – those are the things that college is about.

I hope everyone remembers that and enjoys today. I was asked to write about my perception on moving into college and I hope I answered it for you all. I am proud of making it here and you all should be, too.

Here’s to a great first semester!