Anyone who ever said high school fully prepared them for college was probably lying, or extremely lucky. While high school did teach me some things that were helpful in college, I had to learn a lot on my own. So here are some things I learned my first semester of college.

The Freshman 15 Is Completely Preventable

One of my biggest fears of college was gaining the freshman fifteen. However, I quickly learned it does not show up overnight, instead it builds up over time. It is extremely noticeable to friends and family back home because they don’t see you every day. You can eat whatever you want and not gain anything as long as you find your balance. If you plan to eat Moe’s every day, you should exercise often, or at least make your other meals during the day healthy. On the other hand, if you plan to eat healthy foods routinely, you shouldn’t stress about exercising daily. By simply getting out of bed and walking around campus each day, you can manage your health easily and not spend your time thinking about how much weight you’re gaining.

Go To Class

Just because you made three friends in your Psychology class who are willing to share their notes doesn’t mean you can now skip class whenever you want. It will come back to haunt you later. Most professors give you at least one week (three MWF and two TR) absences before you start losing points or letters off your grade. Save these days. There will come a time when you are sick and can’t leave bed. There will come a time when an emergency happens back home. Don’t skip your English 1010 class just because you wanted Starbucks or wanted to take a nap. Save your days for real emergencies. Even if your professor says attendance doesn’t matter, it matters.

Make Multiple Friends In Each Class

Especially when you start taking classes for your major. Trust me on this one. You may not be a social butterfly, but you will be thankful for these friends later. When you oversleep or are so sick that you can’t leave bed, it’s nice to have a friend you can ask for notes. By having multiple friends, you can receive multiple sets of notes, which can help you in case one person missed something or someone else has more detail on a bullet point. It’s also helpful when exams roll around and you want to form a study group. Make those connections now. You may end up having more classes with these people later.

Do The Extra Credit

For the love of everything good on this planet, PLEASE DO THE FREAKING EXTRA CREDIT. Even if you have a 100 in the class, do the extra credit. Even if it is time consuming and takes you all night, do the extra credit. Even if it means skipping a party, do the extra credit. Every point matters in college. GPA matters more than it ever did in high school, and professors won’t always round your 89.25% to a 90%, especially when you didn’t do the extra credit.

Books Are Expensive

Your school bookstore is not college budget friendly. Whether you’re buying or renting a book, the bookstore is likely to have the most expensive prices around. Check prices on Amazon and other websites like Chegg before buying and renting. It can save you more money that you think. And while we’re talking about books, never buy a book that isn’t required for your major if you can help it. You likely won’t ever pick up your Mass Media History book again, so why spend extra money to buy it?

Make Friends With Your Neighbors

Actually, make friends with everyone on your floor. There will come a time when you need ketchup, a vacuum, or help carrying something in, and the more people you know, the more people you have to ask. You also might catch an invite to events as you get to know them.

Appreciate Your Relationships At Home

I love my college friends with all my heart, but there is no better feeling than coming home and seeing your best friend. The running bear hug my best friend gave me made it really set in how much I missed her, and there is nothing wrong with admitting you missed your friends, family, or even your home in general. Savor those relationships and make those hugs last as long as possible!