As my freshman year of college comes to an end, I realize just how many things this past year has taught me. You find out who your real friends are, your life does a complete 180, you take on new responsibilities; the list is endless. Your first year will flash right before your eyes and before you know it, you’ll be sitting here, like me, wondering where all the time went. Everyone’s freshman year experience is different, but here are some things to watch out for as you start your new life in the fall:

1. Take advantage of your last summer.

The summer before college starts may be your last chance to see some of your best friends for a while. Take advantage of it! It’ll be your last chance to have fun and be free before a whole new life full of responsibilities and hard work is thrown at you.

2. Even if the school you’re attending isn’t your #1 choice, give it a chance.

No matter where you end up, your college career will be a great experience if you let it. Don’t let your spirits get you down just because you wanted to go somewhere else. Everything happens for a reason and wherever you end up, just know it’s meant to be.

3. Apply, apply, apply for scholarships!

Even though hundreds of people may be applying for the same scholarship, someone still has to win it. That might be you! There's no harm in trying, and if you apply for enough, you're bound to get at least one. Any little bit will help when it comes to the never-ending money pit they call college.

4. You may stay close with some of your high school friends, but you will meet SO many more in college that will stick around for a lifetime.

The old friends that stick around and catch up with you are worth hanging onto, but the ones that pretend you don’t exist anymore… Forget about them. College is a great time to sort out who your true friends are.

5. Start learning how to make your own appointments and phone calls.

Once you start college, you’re going to have to make all of your appointments (and get to them) on your own time. No more “you have a dentist appointment next week” reminders from your mom. It’s all on you to keep track of when and where you have to be.

6. Invest in a planner.

My daily planner is literally my life. I would be lost without it. It’s a great place to write down all of your assignments and when they are due, when your next exam is, keep track of appointments, events, etc. and, most of them come with cool stickers to decorate them with. (Yes, I’m still a kid at heart.) Your planner will keep you 100 times more organized if you actually use it all year rather than fill it out the first week and then forget about it.

7. Always carry an umbrella.

Especially if you live anywhere near the Midwest, the weather fluctuates hour by hour. You can go to class in the 90-degree sun, and come out an hour later and it will be pouring. Then later that night there may be a snow storm. You never know. Always carry an umbrella just in case.

8. Your laptop will become your best friend.

Take that thing everywhere. I carry my laptop like I carry my phone: everywhere I go. Even if you don’t think you’ll need it, you will probably wish you had it.

9. The freshman 15 is real.

If you live in a dorm, it may even turn into the freshman 30 (guilty). Let’s face it when every fast food restaurant in the area accepts dining dollars, it’s too hard to resist.

10. Don't fall off the wagon.

I know that college is going to be a huge adjustment and a completely different environment than you're used to. There are going to be people who go out almost every night, don't go to their classes and don't really care about anything. It's easy to fall into that behavior when you get to make your own rules, but once you fall off, it's almost impossible to get back on. It's OK to have fun while you're in college, you're supposed to. But never forget the real reason why you're there. College is way too expensive to throw away.

11. Get used to a new sleeping pattern.

With early class times and late study sessions, your body is going to have to adjust to a whole new sleeping pattern (or no pattern at all.) It won’t be the usual “wake up at 6, go to bed by 10” anymore. Sometimes you might find yourself showering at 1 a.m. because it’s the only time of the day when you aren’t busy. Every night is different.

12. The great thing is that you can skip class, but the bad thing is that you can skip class.

Skipping class is so easy in college... just simply don’t go. No one cares if you’re not there. You may feel like it’s no big deal to skip a day, but don’t do it. Just don’t. Trust me on that.

13. You’re going to have to get used to teaching yourself pretty much everything.

In a lecture class of more than 200 people, it’s almost impossible to get the professor’s attention. You can email them, but it’s likely that they won’t respond until after the deadline for the homework that you wanted to ask them about.

14. Make friends with the tutors on campus.

With that being said, the tutoring center can save your life. If you need help finishing a homework assignment or help studying for an upcoming exam, the tutors are awesome. It can be hard getting ahold of your professor outside of office hours, but the students at the tutoring center are almost always available and are actually very helpful.

15. A textbook can either make or break you.

Your professor may tell you before class starts that the book is required, and then you have two weeks left of school and your $200 book is still in the plastic wrap. Or if you don’t buy it, your professor will probably refer to examples in it for homework and you’ll be completely lost. It’s a lose-lose situation. It’s always a good idea to talk to someone who previously took the course before deciding whether to buy it or not. But if you’re going to pay for it, at least use it. It can be pretty helpful whether your professor uses it in class or not.

16. Even if you think Greek life isn’t for you, you should still go through rush week.

I was that girl that thought the sorority life wasn’t for me, but not rushing was the biggest mistake I made this past year. From what I’ve heard, rush week is a great experience whether you end up going through with it in the end or not.

17. Getting involved is SO important!

You don’t have to join the Greek community to get involved on campus. There are hundreds of organizations and clubs that you can become a part of. Find something that interests you, and stick to it. It’s a great way to make friends and get to know what’s going on around your school.

18. Waiting until the last minute will not work anymore.

Your days of staying up all night to finish a paper or cram for an exam are over. If you want to get by in college, having good time management skills is key. Use your time wisely and spread things out so that you don’t have a stress overload.

19. Don’t lose your ID or key.

You’ve heard it a million times and you’ll hear it a million more. Don’t forget your key! In college, forgetting/losing your key or ID can get super expensive. Do yourself a favor and keep them in a safe spot at all times.

20. Don’t stress too much about not knowing what you want to do yet.

There’s going to be a lot of weight on your shoulders about what you want to do and where you want to go when you get older. The thing is, you don’t have to have it all figured out yet. Most of us don’t. Some of us don’t even have an idea yet. Work hard, don’t give up and keep your mind in the right place and you will be fine. You have plenty of time to figure it out; it doesn’t have to be done right away.