Four years at college went by much quicker than I anticipated. I’m now a second semester senior and getting ready for graduation. It seems as if yesterday I was on my way down to move in to college and start a new adventure. In a couple months, we seniors will all be starting the brand new adventure of the real world. It’s been a wild ride these past few years, and of course we learned about ourselves and the world around us. I wish there were certain things that I was told when I was heading into my freshman year; these are the things I would tell incoming freshmen who are preparing for their first year at college.

1. You won’t keep all the friends you’ve made during orientation. It happens, and it’s probably for the better.

2. Visit your professors during office hours if you need help more. It’ll show you care and are concerned about the class.

3. You don’t have to be best friends with your first roommate.

4. Don’t skip class when you don’t need to—but do take personal/mental health days.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re stressed.

6. Go to different club and organization meetings and see what you like!

7. Don’t be afraid to go to the dining hall or new clubs on your own. Be independent if you want to do something that your friends don’t!

8. Don’t procrastinate—just don’t. You’ll thank yourself later when you finish that paper a few days earlier and have more free time.

9. You don’t have to do everything your new friends want to do. You don't have to follow the crowd-- do your own thing.

10. Do not pull an all-nighter when studying for finals. You’ll lose sleep and won’t remember much from what you studied.

11. Take advantage of as many opportunities as and if you can, like studying abroad or having an internship.

12. Keeping in touch with friends from back home is important. It's nice to catch up and talk about what's going on since you don't see each other every day now.

13. Your grades do not and should not define who you are as a person.

14. It’s okay to not know what you want to major in your first semester. Not everyone does.

15. If you can, take a chance and take a class you wouldn’t have thought to take before.

16. Studying and getting assignments done is important but don’t forget to take a break and have fun!

17. You will appreciate naps much more now.

18. You may not find your future husband or wife here.

19. Don’t forget to touch base with your parents. They’ll miss you. You'll learn to appreciate the phone calls or Skype sessions when you're away from home.

20. Make the most out of these next four years! It's going to go by much quicker than you expect. Enjoy your time at your new home.