Here at Grand Valley's Odyssey team, we have a great team of students who have had some of the best experiences of their lives at GV! We are all so excited that you have chosen to take the Laker for a Lifetime path with us! Our creator staff all have different majors and are entirely different people -- regardless of all of this, what we have in common is that we are all students at the Grandest of Valleys, and are all proud Lakers! As a team, we have come up with answers to the questions, What is something you would like to tell to all future Lakers? What do you wish someone would have told you entering your first year at Grand Valley State? So this article is dedicated to all the future Lakers! And here is our advice to you!

"Find your favorite spot in the library and train yourself to go there often, because you will start to automatically get into a work mindset when you go there." -- Brianna Greenough

"Set time frames for certain subjects based on the workload" -- Kelly Konkel

"Get involved! Whether you Go Greek, join a intramural or an organization relating to your major, getting involved is a great way to make friends and create an on-campus support system! Whatever you decide to do with your college experience, go all out. Make your college experience a great one! Also, The Freshman 15 is real! Grand Valley offers so many healthy choices; don't just go for the chicken tenders and fries because they are always ready." -- Sam Harris

"Don't try too hard to stay close with friends from high school. There are so many people out there who might treat you better and you have to learn to let your past go if you want to truly enjoy GV!" -- Kelly Kuzara

"Plan out time to get stuff done ahead of time; it's never fun and it's not always easy, but staying organized will prevent you from getting behind!" -- Matt Posthuma

"Do not be ashamed if you enter college unsure of your major. if you're able to start your freshman year already knowing a major, great, but if not, that's perfectly OK too. The same goes with changing your major. Often our own expectations are not fulfilled, and we are "stuck" with a major that looked better on a paper. You're never stuck with a major, so never feel that pressure. At the end of the day, selecting a major is the most important decision you'll ever make -- so don't make this decision lightly. Find something you love, and let that passion propel you forward. Even if it takes three tries, find a major that you love with everything in you. And don't restrict yourself to your dorm room, or Allendale in general. Go out and explore the very beautiful city of Grand Rapids!" --Jessica Schram

"Don't be afraid to transfer...not to be negative, but not every college is right for everyone. You go in with high expectations hoping to love it, and if you don't, that's OK. Maybe somewhere else would be a better fit. Try to make it work and if you can't, there is no shame in trying something else. Life is about experimenting and making sure you are feeling your happiest and most purposeful. I transferred and am so glad I did." -- Alanna Kenny

"There's a quote that's like, "College is about finding your bridesmaids, not your groom," and I think that's so true! Focus on you first and on the lifelong friendships you're making. Finding a significant other will happen naturally and you don't need to force it!" --Erika Taukert

"Internships!! They look amazing on college apps and help you figure out what you want to do after college. For me, I figured out my passion by eliminating what I didn't like first. GV has so many resources to help students find great opportunities in the area." -- Maggie Nemeth

" Networking is so important. Join groups and make all kinds of friends. Be as social as you possibly can. Go out, have fun and be safe!" -- Mia Fortura

"My biggest piece of advice would be to just make sure you take advantage of everything Grand Valley has to offer! If you were to ask me the summer before my freshmen year if I would have met my best friends in a traditional style dorm, gone to tutoring, spent hours at the library, have a selfie with the University's president (T.Haas is awesome and is a celebrity on campus), became the editor in chief for the Odyssey, joined Dance Troupe and now be on executive board, became a transitions leader, changed my major, lived on campus sophomore year and met the love of my life because of that... I would have laughed in your face. I am so thankful for all of the opportunities Grand Valley has given me, and I am only a junior! When you step onto campus, make sure you take advantage of everything! Go to the transitions program during welcome week! It is designed to help you! Besides, what else are you going to do while every other freshmen is attending? It is not cool to skip, so please don't! It is a way for you to meet people and make connections! Go to campus life night, that is where every club and organization is in one place at the same time! Go sign up for as many clubs as you want!" -- Nicole Arment

I hope you enjoy Grand Valley as much as myself, and the rest of my Odyssey staff does! Good luck, and go Lakers!