Dear Baby Sis,

I guess I can't really call you a baby anymore since you turned 18 but to me, you'll always be my baby sister. I cannot believe how quickly you grew up. I have a few things to say to you as you embark on this journey of life as an adult. Hold on tight because it's a wild ride.

Things are going to seem scary at certain times, when you're on your last dollar and have no food in the pantry and your gas tank is almost empty, when you are having a terrible time finding a job and none of the places you applied will call you back, but I promise you that you will get through it. You will get money to help and you will get a job.

School can be extremely stressful and yes, you should focus on your studies and make good grades but don't forget to also have fun. College is a time for discovery, to find out who you are as a person and find out how you really want to live your life. Go to the parties, meet new people, go hang out with your friends and stay up too late even though you have an early class in the morning.

Whatever you do, DO NOT sign up for an 8 AM class! You may think "Oh I did this all through high school, it will be fine," but I promise you, it will be the worst decision you've ever made. 10 AM classes are probably the earliest class that you will feel actually awake in and a 7:30 AM class is NEVER a good idea.

Find yourself a friend group that you can spend a lot of your time with and never get tired of seeing them. Find friends that you could spend an entire day with and still want to see them that night. Find friends that encourage you to be the best that you can be and will never give up on you. Have game nights every week and bake cookies or brownies with your friends.

Don't buy your textbooks until after the first day of class. Some teachers won't require the text and you don't want to spend $200 on a book and then never use it. The first day of class is usually syllabus day but take a notebook anyway because some teachers start notes on the first day. Make sure you're prepared to jump right in.

Join a club or sorority. Clubs and sororities are good ways to meet new people and I promise you that the stereotypes of sororities are mostly false. You will meet lifelong friends and you will make connections that you wouldn't otherwise have.

With graduation coming up I want you to know that I am so proud of you and the young woman that you have become. I know you are going to do amazing things in life no matter what you choose to do. Thank you for being a terrific little sister and always keeping me company when I needed it. I know we didn't always get along but things change and now we're grown up and know better than to fight about silly little things. I love you sis and I can't wait to see what you do with your life.