Dear incoming Freshman,

Going to college can be slightly terrifying, trust me I've been there. Coming into my freshman year, I had no idea what to expect or if I was even going to like college. I have never been a super outgoing person, so getting involved and meeting a lot of new people was hard for me at first. So my first piece of advice is to get involved. I know that is easy to say and everybody tells you to get involved, but it's true. You can't be afraid to put yourself put there and try new things because you never know who you could meet or what experiences they could bring. In addition to that, don't get discouraged. I found out pretty quickly that some things are definitely competitive in college. If you don't get into a certain club or activity, don't let that stop you from trying others. You just have to keep trying and seeing what other opportunities are out there.

Another important part of college is meeting new people. If you meet someone you like and think you would want to be friends, reach out to them. I know it can be intimidating, but even if you have just met someone once or for a short period of time, it doesn't hurt to ask them to just get coffee or lunch. I have made a few of my closest friends from one of us reaching out to the other after the first time we met. Even when you have your friends, make sure to see them often. Once classes and activities get busy it can be hard to see some of your friends often if you don't normally cross paths around campus. Reach out to your friends to see when you can see them and catch up during the week.

Balance. No matter what you do in your life it is important to keep a balance. Keep up on your class work, but don't let stop you from doing other things and having fun. On the other hand, you also don't want to over book yourself and have too much to do. You want to have a good balance between school and fun. Balance is so important in college so that you can just remain sane. Make sure to take time for yourself and take care of yourself. You don't want to push yourself too hard. It's also so easy to get sick in college, so really take the time and make to effort to stay healthy. Another good way to keep balance in your life is to keep in touch with friends in family from home. Sometimes you just need a break or escape from college, and talking to loved ones from home can help give you that.

My last piece of advice for you college freshman is to explore in every aspect of your life. Explore the cities or towns close by your college. Find new restaurants and new things to do and try new things. Explore what you like to do. Take different types of classes, try a different club or activity you have never done before. Don't limit yourself to what you know. You never know what unexpected things you will like but didn't know you did just because you have never tried it before. Explore who you are and who you want to be because that is really what college is all about. These are the four years that are going to shape your future, so make them count.