Dear College Freshman,

Congratulations on graduating high school and beginning your new journey towards a college education. College should be one of the best experiences of your life, if you do it right. First of all, forget about those lame four years you had in high school because high school years really don't matter once you are in college. You may have a couple of friends whom you keep in touch with, but for the majority of those relationships, they drift apart. Welcome to the real world.

In college, they treat you like adults. This means making your own schedule, going to class on time, keeping up with assignments and more. My first semester, I took 13 hours, and I'm glad I didn’t take an overwhelming amount of hours at the very start. Don't overload yourself at the beginning; start with the minimum and see how you do. Have you heard of the saying, “Don't bite off more than you can chew?” Trust me on this, don't take more hours than you think you can handle. Freshman, you can always add hours later. Once you have proven to yourself and your advisor those hours won't overwhelm you, then add more. Now as a senior I'm taking over 20 hours.

Remember those advisors I talked about a second ago? You need to make them your friend. They are here to help you out in any way they can. Advisors advise you on schedule making, council you, help you make decisions if you can't make them yourself. Plus, they are great to talk to. What about your professors? They are not the ones you should be making the enemy either. Your professors typically do their best to teach you the information you need to pass their class, and if your lucky, you learn life lessons along the way. You freshman, and other college goers, should all befriend your professors as best as you can because they will be the ones determining your final grade. I'm not saying kiss up to them, but if you need help on something, don't be afraid to ask because this is their job. You don't want to be on their bad side when it comes time for grades.

College can be expensive. There are books, meal plans, tuition, living expenses, gas (if you have to travel) and any other expenses you can think of. For those who are lucky enough to have full scholarships or even partial scholarships, “You go, Glenn Coco.” Scholarships, grants and loans are great, but they don't cover everything. Trust me when I tell you this, save money anywhere you can. You need to apply for every possible scholarship available: it may not be awarded to you, but there are others like it which your name can be set aside for if you applied for others. When it comes to your books, unless you have a scholarship which only pays for your books from your school’s bookstore, do not, I repeat do not buy books at the bookstore. They rip you off on the costs of their books. There are plenty of sites where you can rent or buy your textbooks for more than half or ¾ of the cost. Seriously, do this because it'll save you a lot more money. I sit down before every semester and compare my book prices between my bookstore and three different sites, then I go with the cheapest.

In college, you will learn there is no one to police you but yourself. You, little freshman, will not have a parent around waking you up every morning, asking in the evenings if you have your homework done and checking to see if you're studying for your tests. This is the real(er) world than you are used to. From the beginning, you need to set boundaries, limits and make yourself aware of how hard you will have to push yourself. You need to learn how to study, and I'm not talking about the “I’ll study the night before” kind because in college, it's not that simple. Take time and learn what each class will take from you to earn an A. You need to develop good study habits and work ethic. Working hard and keeping on top of all your homework or projects will keep you less stressed.

While you are in college, it's your goal to be social and make friends. You should go to the welcome week and see what your school has to offer. Join clubs, groups, sororities/fraternities and so on, allows you to gain friendships, stay social and find groups who are like you. You should be around people who have the same interests, goals, majors, etc. because they will be the ones who you are most likely to form relationships with. While staying active in your school is important, don't let it get in the way of your education and your goals.

College freshman, you are now about to embark on a new journey, one where you will be leaving your parents behind and working on gaining independence while getting a higher education. Your parents are the ones who have supported you from the very beginning, held your hand when you were scared, cried on your first day of school and your last, cheered you on, taught you to drive, watched you walk across one stage of life and into another. Although you think you are grown up and don't need them anymore, you are very wrong. They will still be there, every step of the way, especially through this next step of your life. You should not be too embarrassed to call them, let them visit or take you to dinner, etc.. The day you move in, let them have every moment they want; taking pictures, carrying your belongings, unpacking your things, talking to your new roommate and hugging you goodbye. They have earned this right. Don't forget to call your parents often and fill them in on how you are or what is going on. They care and want to know. Also, visit home as often as you can. Your parents, grandparents, church members and friends from your hometown will want to see you. It will always be your home, and college, your home away from home.

Sincerely,

A Senior