As the school year comes to a close, graduating seniors flood football fields and stadiums clad in school colors from head to toe. They toss their caps in the air to close their last hour in the same space with all of the people that they have spent the last four years with. Before they know it, they are moving into a dorm room in a new city surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

The first few months in college are both exciting and scary. They are full of new experiences, homesick nights, getting lost on a big campus and meeting dozens upon dozens of new people that you will spend your next four years with.

College is an amazing, once in a lifetime experience that deserves to be lived to the fullest. Here is some advice for all of my favorite newly grads headed off to college.

1. Force yourself to be outgoing.

You are about to be forced into social situations with a sea of new faces. Whether you're rushing, at the dining hall, out for the night, at the bus stop or in class, say hello to everyone. Strike up a conversation with every new face you see. You never know where you will meet your college best friend!

2. Don't expect your roommate to be your best friend.

Before you meet other people, the two (or three or four) of you will be inseparable, but more than likely, as you each get involved on campus, you will grow apart. Keep in mind, that surviving living in a closet with another person is hard enough, don't put the pressure of being best friends on your relationship too.

3. No one cares about your SAT score or high school GPA.

Maybe I just hung out with a nerdy group in high school, but needless to say, I was shocked to discover that not one person, application, teacher, parent or organization cared about my SAT / ACT, final GPA or AP scores. You needed those things to get into college, but basically that's all they were good for.

4. Feeling homesick is OK.

You may be under the impression that no one else is homesick, but I promise that most of your friends are whether they admit it or not. This is not just a freshman problem (it's a life away from home problem). So admit it, call home and I promise, it will get better!

5. Don't force relationships.

You will lose contact with some -- if not most -- of your high school friends. Your mom told you it would happen one day and you convinced yourself otherwise, but some relationships were meant for that season and that season only. Keep in contact with the friends that you share your heart with and don't put too much pressure on yourself to force relationships that seem to be going no where.

6. Take classes that interest you.

I don't care if it counts for your major or not, college is a time to learn, so learn. You never know which class will lead to your future major or career so if you see a class that peaks your interest, please take it.

7. Don't be afraid to change your major once...or twice.

It happens to everyone.

8. Have fun.

Enjoy and embrace every new experience. A lot of fun times are headed your way, but please stay safe and make good choices so that the fun is actually fun.

9. Call your mom.

Again, it's not uncool and other people do it too. She misses you more than you will ever know and wants to hear from you. So pick up the phone and call home every now and then.

10. Be yourself.

No one knows or cares about who you were or what you did in high school. College is a clean slate so use it to be yourself. Don't worry about what other people think because your true friends will appreciate you for who you are.

11. Work hard.

The next four years will fly by faster than you can even imagine. Take advantage of the time you have and work hard to prepare yourself for the next step in life.