Dear Incoming Freshmen,

First off, welcome to college! This is an exciting time that opens a ton of new doors and possibilities. With less than a month left of summer, here are some things you need to know about college.

Like everyone tells you, get involved. Join a club, rush a sorority or fraternity, run for student government, or do something! This can often make or break your college career. I am in a sorority, in several clubs and the honor society, and have two on-campus jobs. This has made my college experience so much better. Getting involved helps you make new friends, create awesome memories, and gives you a great opportunity to network.

You may not like to hear this, but the freshmen 15 is real. You were probably told that it isn't real due to how hilly our campus is, but it's real. Sorry to break your heart.

STUDY STUDY STUDY! College is on a whole different level than high school. I breezed through high school and didn't really have to try. But when I got to college, I found it ten times harder to breeze through it all. I work my butt off to get good grades and beat myself up when I don't. I had to completely change my studying habits. If you aren't doing well in a class, get a tutor! Some of the people that get good grades have tutors, plus it's free on campus to get a tutor.

Wearing your lanyard around you neck often screams "I'M A FRESHMAN!" If you don't want to send off that vibe, don't wear your lanyard around your neck. Girls, invest in a cute wristlet. But if you like your lanyard, you do you boo.

Your "friends" you make on your freshman Facebook page probably won't be your friends once you get to campus in August. I made "friends" on my freshman page and I have either never talked to them or never saw them around campus. You will make friends on your dorm floor and they will become your friends. Also, don't give out your Snapchat name on those pages because some people are just really creepy and won't leave you alone.

Respect your resident assistant or RA. They are here to help you and make sure you don't get yourself in trouble. I'm not an RA, but some of my friends are and they work hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. If you're doing illegal things in your room like drinking alcohol or doing drugs, you will get in trouble by them. You're not as sneaky as you think you are.

Invest in a good pair of gym shoes. You will do a lot of walking in college and with our campus, there's a bunch of stairs and hills. Your feet will thank you for this later.

Incoming freshman class, welcome to Southeast!

Kelsey