"Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold."

It's almost 1:30 A.M. and I'm bored. So while I was messing around on the computer, my auto-finish pulled up our old blog, and I knew it was a sign. If I learned anything throughout high school it is that things always happen for a reason and they happen in steps. I don't know how many of us old APLangers still visit this blog, but I feel this is worth a try...

From elementary school to middle school to high school and now college, these are the steps leading us towards our goals, towards a great education, and, hopefully, a lifetime of incredible experiences. And college has always had the distinction of being the "best four years of our lives", or at least that's what all the recruiters said. Unfortunately, for most of us, this is our first "step" outside the "AP bubble" and the real world can be scary. No parents, no brothers or sisters, and for most, no friends or family. Many of us will do laundry for this first time. We will experience heart-wrenching homesickness and feel abandoned and out-of-place. But, in spite of all of the pain and suffering, the prospect of what is to come blasts that dark cloud of doubt away. The knowledge, the friendships. the laughter, the parties, the memories, the experience.

However, trying to re-find your niche in a place where you know almost nobody is scary, which is where this handy blog comes in! Use this as a tool to express your fears and dilemmas; let it all out. This blog has always been a haven, a place where we could be ourselves without fear of rejection or condemnation, and it still is. Share the good, the bad, and the ugly...but please, use discretion when necessary. Offer/ask for advice and encouragement. We have always been here for each other, why stop now. Just because a few state borders separate us doesn't mean we have to forget about each other. Friendships never die if they are true, so make new ones and strengthen the old ones.

Good luck everyone, I wish you nothing but success!