Summer vacation is nearing its end. While many students are dreading the sound of the bell signaling the first day of school, the start of a new year should be an exciting time for everyone, especially for those starting middle school, high school or college.

I remember my first day of college as if it was yesterday. It was exactly five years ago when I walked into American government. It is a moment forever etched in my memory. The class was nothing to write home about but I was excited to be a freshman sitting inside a real-life college classroom taught by a worldly professor.

However, no amount of online research and college preparedness books could’ve prepared me for all the long nights of studying and writing essays that year. It was difficult enough balancing the workload from all of my classes and making new friends in a town where I knew no one, except my roommate. Eventually, the friends came and I became an ordinary college student making my way in the world.

Anything new can be overwhelming at first. The first day of high school can be just as overwhelming. Nothing can truly prepare you for those first days but they end up making you a better person in the long run.

For those of you preparing for your first semester of college or high school, don’t forget to enjoy those first days. While it seems as though graduation day will never come, it does. In order to truly enjoy your experience, go out, try new things and meet new people but don’t forget to study and meet deadlines. High school and college are supposed to be one of the best times in a young person’s life and should be enjoyed to their fullest potential.

Before you walk into your first high school or college classroom, remember to breathe, hold your chin up high and believe this will be the best year yet.