Hey guys, look at you, all grown up. Most of you moving out, saying goodbye to hometowns and your regular daily routines. I know you're excited, but slow down a little bit. You are fixing to pack up your things and leave for a while, nothing will be the same again. Yes, you can't wait to be free, make some of your own decisions for a change, and experience new things...but don't waste these last few weeks.

In these last few weeks at home spend time with your family and hometown friends, because once you start school a lot will change. Sit down in your room, appreciate your house because even though you're not leaving for good, it will never be the same. And from one college student to another, really appreciate home cooked meals and your pantry always being full. Thank your parents for cooking supper, making sure you have clean laundry and giving you some extra cash when you leave the house. Don't wish time away, because school will be here before you know it and it'll be time for you to leave the nest. And I know everyone says "I can't wait to get out of here", I said that once too, but when the time comes you'll find yourself teary eyed driving away from the only place you've really known, home.

Once school begins, yes, do all the regular things everyone has been telling you to do. Join clubs, get involved, make lots of new friends, study hard, but most importantly have fun. But again don't wish your time away, It'll be the first day of school and in the blink of an eye the fall semester will be ending. After Christmas rolls around, the spring semester will fly by, and I truly mean that. Take it from me, I'm heading into my sophomore year of college when it feels like last month my friends and I were taking campus tours with that scared to death look on our face. And look at us now, we have already survived our first year.

So dear incoming freshmen, this will be a totally new experience for you. Be smart and make wise decisions. Take lots of pictures and make many memories. Also study hard, it's not as easy as it looks. Call your family and go home some weekends. Go party but not every night, unless you can handle that. Make new friends but keep your old friends too. And don't be afraid to be that freshman asking where a certain class or building is. Take your time freshmen year because it only happens once, and those seniors that are fixing to graduate, they wish they were in your shoes.