College Survival Guide: Toto We're Not in High School Anymore

So by now one thing for all college students is sure, “Toto we are definitely not in high school anymore.”

For some this transition can be very difficult, while for others it is a breeze. But as this first year of college for many of us is coming to a close, I wanted to talk about how college life can change us and the differences between high school and college.

College is a huge change from high school. You are completely responsible for yourself. No one in college is going to hold your hand as you go along. You are responsible for choosing your own classes, turning in everything and so on. Professors in college will also not be as lenient as those in high school.

For me the transition wasn't to difficult, however when I was away last semester I was pretty home sick when I first left. It took me a little bit to get into the swing of being in college on a personal level, but when it came down to academics I was on par. I think it is because I have always been pretty "good" at school.

The hardest part for me was getting everything organized realizing that I was an adult now. How did all of you out there react to the transition? Let me know in the comments down below.

For all of those like me finishing up your first year of college I just wanted to say congrats! We made it! I know college can be difficult, you are moving on from everything that is familiar and comfortable into the adult world. Life changes from being a kid, to being a grown-up. We are responsible for ourselves now. It is our job to stay on top of everything, map out our lives and create our own future. We have just completed the first leg of our journey with much more to go. I wish you all luck on the remainder of your journey and I hope that it goes where you want it.

I hope that everything is what you hoped it would be. <3 Kimmie

A Letter to My 16 Year Old Self

Dear Kimmie (16 year old self),

It has taken me a while to write this because I wanted to provide sage wisdom while being poetic and insightful. But I realised I don't need that. I just need to tell you what I have learned.

At sixteen you think that reading, writing, tumblr and other miscellaneous things are the most important things in the world. They aren't. As important as all that stuff seems right now it is almost worthless in the long run. What is truly important is to find the people who are going to stick by you. Get better at interacting with them, build your friendships and don't be afraid to let them in. Build relationships that will last who people that matter.

At sixteen you are old beyond your years, you spend your days often depressed, worrying about money, the house, and if everything will be ok. Worrying about college, a job and where your life will go and if your life is actually worth anything. Often times the world feels like it is ending. I remember the pain, the sadness, the suicidal thoughts and the self harm. Remember feeling like moving from day to day was pointless because I was just empty. Even though you are young regrets and idiodic mistakes haunt you. Take those mistakes in stride, acccept that you can't change them but you can learn and grow from them. Remember that your life is worth something, whether or not it feels like it. Never forget that you matter!

I know things are really difficult right now. You are struggling with problems at home, with bullying, with depression, with lack of friends.

But I wanted to let you know that it will all be ok. There will be a lot of struggles and hard times, friends will come and go and people are going to be cruel. But you are strong and will get through it all. I promise. Just have faith in yourself. Have faith that the situations you are going through will prove to make you a stronger person. Overcoming the challenges that you face will make you the person you are to become. The scars of the past will help to build your drive and resolve.

Always remember that you don't have to change yourself for anyone! And you don't have to act a certain way just because you think that is what will make people like you. Never be afraid to be who you truly are, screw everyone else.

Also, never let anyone get to you who tries to tear you down. Use it as fuel, motivation, drive. Work your ass off to make a life worth living because you deserve to be proud of the life you live, not resent it. You are a dedicated and motivated worker and you know that life will be better, you just have to work to make it that way.

If I could go back to be you there are so many changes I would make to change the regrets that I hold now. I regret not getting closer to my friends and making my time with them count, regret never letting people in and always being left behind, I regret being so desperate for love and attention I let myself be manipulated, controlled and used. But the brightside is that you will live through the next 3 years even though it doesn't feel like it right now, your relationship with dad will get better and you will become stronger.

If you take away anything from this letter, remember and know that that you can survive. You are stronger than you think and you are an amazing and kind person despite what that nagging voice in your head tells you.

Love from,

Kim (18, almost 19, years young.)

(For all those reading is part two to the post I did on Wednesday. Click here to read.)