It's that time of year again! Pack up your entire life, move to a city at least three hours from home and be thrust into slight-adulthood. This is better known as, college! Now, if you're anything like me before I started college, you are scouring the internet for any kind of advice you think will help. Which is why I am writing this. I've compiled some of the most important things you need to remember right here. Think of this as your college advice mini-handbook.

1. Do not take 8 A.M. classes.

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I feel like this is stressed to no end, but people still don't listen. I get it, some classes you need are only offered in the grueling hell that is eight in the morning. However, if you have the option to take a class later in the day, then do it. I personally have a rule that I do not take any classes before ten in the morning. Believe it or not, your terrible sleeping habits are going to get worse or develop. You will be lucky if you're getting in bed by midnight. Which is fine, just have the class schedule to support that.

2. Being a teachers pet isn’t always a bad thing.

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No, I am not saying kiss up to the teacher for better grades. I'm saying know your teacher. They're humans just like you are, and they're not the monsters high school teachers make them out to be. College professors are some of the nicest and most interesting people I've met. If you talk to them when you're struggling in the class, or just to get to know them better, they will remember that. 99% of the time these professors want to help you and push you to become better, so use that to get to know them. And hey, you may need them to write a recommendation for you one day.

3. Do not pack up your entire life.

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This particularly speaks to clothes for me. I took all of my pajamas and nearly every article of clothing I owned when I moved in. I wore the same four pajamas every week and I ended up having a decent rotation of outfits, but a lot of things were never worn. For this, I suggest packing your top three or four favorite outfits for every type of weather. This way you have a good rotation of things to mix and match, but your closet isn't overflowing. Also, shoes can be a big problem. Bring your top five or six favorite pairs. I also suggest bringing a pair or two of dress shoes and if you're somewhere that is prone to snowing weather sturdy shoes. Again, this way you have enough clothes for all types of weather and enough to have a good rotation, but you're not overpacked. Another thing I feel people may be wondering about is sheets and towels. I want with a minimalistic approach. I bought two sets of sheets and four towels. Personally, I like having a towel for my body and a towel for my hair, so I rotate towels every week. This way you don't have fifteen towels shoved into a drawer somewhere that you don't open except once a month.

4. Talk to your RA.

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Your RA is there to help you, even, in my case, if they're one of the most annoying people on the planet. My personality clashed with my RA, however, I do regret not talking to him more. He was kind of annoying, but he did his job the best he could and was always nice to me when he saw me around campus or the dorms. I feel like RAs don't get enough appreciation for the things they do. Whether or not you see it, RAs are working around the clock to keep the dorms a happy and safe place. So take the time to talk to them or at least say thank you for all their hard work.

5. Move in is stressful.

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Move in day was the most stressful thing I ever experienced. Imagine you're at a hotel and there is a cheer event going on. There are tons of people running around acting like their heads of been cut off. Now imagine all of those people pushing mini-fridges towards the elevator you're on and you have five suitcases. That's how I felt during assigned move-in day. Trust me, if your school offers early move-in days, then take them. They are worth it because you will beat the hecticness that comes with assigned move-in days. You also get to be on campus before the majority of people, this means you can explore your surroundings without 1,000 other people scrambling around you.

6. Take notice of yourself.

Keep yourself in check. Make sure you're taking time to focus on you, your mental health, your physical health, and your spiritual health. You're not going to be a good student by constantly studying. You're also not going to be a good student if your mind isn't in the best shape. You won't be a good student if you're not getting enough to eat and sleeping enough. You won't be a good student if your soul feels out of place. Take time away from everyone to be on your own. Make sure you're doing okay.

7. Life is a priority.

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Taking care of yourself is important, but don't spend so much time on yourself that you neglect your school work or your friends. It is highly important to find the balance between taking care of yourself and your other responsibilities. It may take a few tries to get your ratios perfect, but you can do it!

At the end of the day, college is going to be an amazing experience. You're going to grow and become more independent. You will learn things and meet so many new people. As long as you try and take things with a grain of salt you will be just fine!