As I approach the end of my senior year of college and graduation is right around the corner, I've had some time to self-reflect on my years here at Buffalo State College. To say that college was one of the most incredible and trying times of my life is a major understatement.

Once I moved in my freshman year, I finally felt as if I had belonged somewhere. I felt like I wasn't looked at as some outsider walking the halls, but as an equal to all of my peers. I literally became friends with almost everyone on my floor and my room was known as the party room (shout out to Porter 720.) It felt great to feel like I was meant to be here.

However, I grew up very sheltered. I didn't drink. I didn't smoke. I never went out, ever. Seriously, I never went to a high school party (well, maybe one but I left before it got crazy.) I didn't really talk to boys at my school because they didn't really like me that much (my boyfriend for the last two years wasn't even from my area.) I had a few close friends but that was really it. Needless to say, I didn't have the wild and crazy high school experience a lot of my peers had.

So once college came around and I felt as if I had a new sense of freedom and I took FULL advantage of that. I took full advantage of no parents, no rules, and starting over. While it was great in some aspects, I think back a lot at my decisions freshman year and desperately want to slap myself in the face. So freshman Jess, this is for you.

Please, I'm begging you - go to class.

Okay, seriously - I'm surprised you didn't get in more trouble for this. I'm pretty sure your solar system didn't even know who you were. You know that picture where it says that if parents and college professors had a parent-teacher conference, the professor has no idea who you are? Yeah, that was literally you. All year. Seriously, you started class at 2:00pm on MWF and you still managed to miss class. What the f**k are you doing? You're literally wasting so much money by not going to these classes. Get your a** up out of bed, and scoot your boot. You didn't take out all of these loans to sleep.

Speaking of class - why don't you actually study?

Okay, you're literally going to kick yourself in the butt for this for the rest of college. Since you refuse to go to class, you don't know the material. Since you don't know the material, you can't study. Guess what happens when you don't study? Oh, that's right! YOU FAIL IDIOT. I don't get why you aren't more concerned with your grades considering you need good grades to stay here, or else you just want to go on academic probation. Yeah you lucked out and didn't have to, but guess what - you end your first semester with a 2.4 because you don't care about your school work. That's gonna be the wake up call you need, and you'll spend the next 3 1/2 years working your booty off to make up for it.

The parties are sh*tty - stop wasting your money.

I understand, you've never partied. You never got too drunk with your friends and made some mistakes. You never came home at 2am unsure of how you got there. You never had a reason to get dressed up and go out. I totally get it - that's what happens when you're sheltered. But girl, stop wasting the $15 every single weekend for an overcrowded house where you can't walk and a cup filled with foam. If you want to go out every once in a while, that's fine! I promise you though, it's not worth asking your parents for extra money and pay money to stand around in a corner because you literally can't move.

STAY. OFF. TINDER.

Actually, just stay away from boys all together. I know you didn't ever get a lot of attention back home, and you're getting a good amount of it here. There's nothing wrong with flirting with a few boys here and there! But I'm about to get super harsh with you - none of them are going to date you. It's not going to go anywhere with any of them. I don't know if it's that you're really loving the attention you're finally getting or you just want to explore your options, but calm the f**k down. The boys in your dorm building and the boys on Tinder do not mean jack sh*t. You'll keep their attention for a few weeks at most and then it'll be over. There is no point in losing yourself and losing your dignity for a boy who doesn't plan on sticking around to be with you.

In more depth with Tinder... just delete that stupid app. Girl, you're literally going to talk to these boys for maybe 1 day to 1 week at a time and NEVER have a conversation with them again. A majority of them don't even live near you!! I know you're impressed that you have almost 2,000 matches but it isn't something you should be proud of... just trust me on this one.

I guess what I'm really trying to say is, don't forget why you're here in the first place. It's great to have a social life, but school comes first. You can balance both - it's very possible. Just don't let the drinks and the boys distract you from what's important. After all, without good grades, you won't even be able to stay here. So study books, not boys. Go to class, not just parties. Also - hugs, not drugs.

(Okay, drugs were never a problem for you but we did that DARE program for a reason, right? Just felt like I should throw that in there. You're welcome, DARE.)