Learning to Be Alone

In a little less than ten months, I'll be by myself, in a college dorm room, without my family or friends, and that completely terrifies me.  I've always been the kid who couldn't wait to be older so I could venture out alone and see what the world had to offer, but now that it's almost time for me to actually go into the "real world" alone, I'm not ready.  I like to tell myself that I'm independent and that I'll be fine on my own, but deep down I know that that's far from the truth.  I'm still very dependent on my family, especially since I still look at my mom to answer questions for me when we're in a doctor's office and the doctor is talking to me.  Also since I'm the baby in the family I've always had someone looking out for me.  When some girl was bullying me in Kindergarten my sister was right by my side defending me and when I hear a strange noise at night I always go to my dad or my brother for them to figure out what it is.  But, once I go to college I have to be able to protect myself and trust that I'm making the right decisions.  What I'm most nervous about being alone at college is putting my trust in the wrong people.  My parents have instilled in me to always trust my instincts, so I hope with that and with some other lessons they have taught me I'll be able to keep myself out of any problematic situations.  But, you never really know what's going on in other people's minds and what their capable of doing, so I hope I'm lucky enough to not make friends with any crazies without knowing (I really hope I'm not jinxing myself).  People also say not to judge a book by it's cover, but I've been watching a lot of crime shows lately and I think it's pretty safe to say that if you look like a serial killer, I will not be befriending you.  In all seriousness, I hope that in these next ten months I learn how to become more independent and be okay with being alone.  I also hope that I don't let the fear of being by myself get in the way of going to a school that I really want to go to.