As my freshman year of college is coming to end, I was thinking about where I was at just a year ago. I was only a senior in high school, getting ready for graduation. Many of you may be in that position right now, unsure of what to expect in college and the challenges that you will face. I remember looking at Youtube videos or articles on how to succeed in college, and just getting really anxious about everything. After a whole year of college, new experiences and lessons, I can safely say that you really don't have to freak out. College is fun, exciting, and a whole lot better than high school, trust me. After a lot of trial and error, ups and downs, highs and lows, I have 10 key tips for you high-schoolers as you prepare for your next step.

1. Be Patient in Finding Your Community

I think no matter what school you're going to, or whatever place you end up in life, if you have a community of friends whom you can call family, you will enjoy your time and be happy where you are. Your college doesn't make you happy. The people that you're with, the connections that you build, the experiences that you make will. Something that I learned this year was just how happy I was through my all of struggles and lows, because I had my community of support and love surrounding me. So with that being said, when you come into freshman year, everyone wants to be friends, but just be patient in finding your community, in your family. You're gonna have to do a LOT of small talk with a LOT of people your first few weeks, so be patient if you don't find your best friends right away.

2. Exercise, Please

Simple, exercise. You're gonna eat a lot. Unlimited dining food, late night snacks, 3 a.m. cravings, all of that will wreck you if you don't just get up and move. Play basketball, go for a walk, throw a Frisbee, it doesn't just have to be lifting weights or running on a treadmill. I learned this year that you will NEVER regret working out.

3. Set Your Priorities Straight

Friends, schoolwork, extracurricular activities, hanging out, exercise, community service, research, work, etc. When you come into freshman year, have an organized idea of what you want to focus on, and soon enough everything will fall into place. You will find a routine and naturally understand your priorities. College is great in that it offers so many more resources than high school. However, if you come in to college with no clue what you want, you will be overwhelmed with all these opportunities, and in the end, you may just do nothing, and that's not what your parents' are paying tuition for you to do. So write in your phone, notebook, or just keep reminding yourself in your head just a general plan of what you want to focus on your freshman year. That may be schoolwork, hanging out, and finding extracurricular activities, or schoolwork and community service. You don't have to do everything your first year of college.

4. Go to Class, PLEASE

USA Today wrote an article stating that each class costs around $130 and $390 per session. Remember that you are paying to come to school, that you chose to continue your education, so enjoy it. Many times the professor will go over things not in the readings, or offer extra credit or go over a topic you were struggling with before. Similar to exercising, I learned that you will never regret going to class. You're going to fall behind so hard if you don't go because most college classes aren't everyday. The best way to learn is by attendance, trust me.

5. Use a Planner, but Efficiently

If you ever look at my planner, you will realize what how much the thing means to me. The biggest thing I learned was how important using a planner is. Like Russell Westbrook says the Spalding Ball is his best friend, so should your jagged planner. Use it, because it will keep you so organized on due dates, meetings, assignments, readings, exams, etc, but use it efficiently. Your planner should be used everyday, not once in a while, and make sure you are specific in what you need to do. For example, don't just say "Study for Chem Exam", state what you are going to study, whether class notes, worksheets, homework problems, and what chapters or sections. Learn the value of discipline and organization.

6. Watch out for FOMO

FOMO - Fear of Missing Out. Many times your friends will want to do something or go somewhere and you just have so many things to do, however your FOMO level will be too. I really advice you all just to watch for it, it's healthy to push back studying sometimes, however don't let it get to you. This fear of missing out and not being included in all the things your friends do will become an addiction, and soon enough you will fall very behind in academics and in life. Be cautious of your responsibilities, you're here to be a student first. You will never regret staying in to study and get caught up on work.

7. Try Not to Go Home

I go to a school very far away from home, and that was one of the biggest things I was worried about. However, I learned this year that not going home every week forced me to stay outside of my comfort zone and really invest my time in friendships, schoolwork, and community. It forced me to leave the past behind, build new relationships, grow as a student and as a person, stay academically motivated, invest in a strong community, and find extracurricular activities that I love to do. Really challenge yourself to not depend on your past, you will grow a lot.

8. But....Call Your Parents

With that being said, I think something that I learned by not doing it was not calling my parents each week. I can definitely feel a disconnection with them when I try to update them, and I wish I had just called them more frequently to tell them how much I appreciate them. Call your parents, tell them how much you love them, because it will mean the absolute world to them.

9. Take Every Extra Credit Opportunity

Yes, please do this. I think this was one of my biggest regrets freshman year. Extra credit = Free points. In college, anything with the word free should ring a bell. Take these opportunities, however small, because it will not hurt in any way, and will in fact be so helpful in the long run.

10. Try New Things

Last but not least, step out of your comfort zone and really place yourself in new situations to grow and build yourself as someone well-rounded. Hang out with people you wouldn't expect to ever be friends with. Hang out with people of different age, sex, race, people with different values, interests, and beliefs, because you will not only realize so much about them but also so much about yourself. Join organizations that you din't do in high school, try a new sport, lift weights for the first time, attend choir events, etc. There are endless things to do in college, and your freshman year is the perfect year to try these out, because you will gain so much from it. Don't do what others are doing, just do what you want. Be shameless, be brave, be bold.