Hello Friends!!

My third semester of college was absolutely incredible! I love Oklahoma State with all my heart and wake up every single day with a smile. If you want some pro tips on how to smile and love college, keep reading! College has definitely been a learning experience and to any reading this who is going to be a freshman next year (or anyone reading this), here are some tips.

1. Be on time to class and actually pay attention
2. Respect your professor and put the phone away
3. It is okay to sit in the front row (I sat front row to every class)
4. Do your work and do it well
5. Be responsible and keep your word
6. Do not procrastinate (very hard not to do, but I believe in you)
7. Go to Church
8. Make good choices day and night
9. Choose your friends wisely, they do influence you
10. Call and visit your parents and family
11. Do not think you are too cool to do anything (because you are not)
12. Be a friend that other people want to have
13. Pray
14. Be thankful every single day
15. Stay up late at Whataburger (or insert other 24 hour restaurant) with your friends
16. Do not worry about the freshman 15, but do eat healthy (I ate a cookie a day and am still happy with myself)
17. Be a kind person 24/7 (it is possible)
18. Smile to everyone (even when you have 4 tests the next day, you will survive)
19. Be generous (yes we are all broke but a few dollars could make someone’s day)
20. Be a Godly man/woman and let people see the Lord through you
21. Read Scripture and study it
22. Text people randomly that you appreciate them
23. Realize that you might be stressed now, but other people have problems too and you should LISTEN more than you speak
24. Be the type of person who makes other people better after they talk to you
25. Sleep (you will pull all nighters, but smile through it and take naps)
26. Eat well (you have a meal plan for a reason, EAT well and get that daily Jamba Juice because you deserve it)
27. Be humble (nobody likes talking to people full of themselves)
28. Make a professional resume (Career Services is there to help you)
29. Apply for all the organizations you want
30. Study abroad
31. Go to sporting event games (Buy that all season pass)
32. Be respectful of people and their time
33. Buy a blazer and professional clothes (you will use this so much, just do it)
34. Rock those Nike Shorts/leggings/oversized t-shirt/chaco’s, because no one cares what you wear in college, they care about you as a person
35. Meet new people everywhere (in class, the Jamba line, the Colvin, ANYWHERE)
36. Talk (to anything and everything)
37. Go to the Colvin (aka Swolven) and utilize the amazing workout equipment there
38. Get a planner (time management and homework assignments will consume you and a planner will help you be organized)
39. Use your planner (it will help you more than you know)
40. Take pictures (TONS of pictures of everything)
41. With that being said^, stay off your phone when you are with other people and actually live in the moment (you will have more meaningful conversations and create more authentic friendships)
42. Go get Insomnia at 2am for no reason and laugh at how the workers know who you are (they know me by name)
43. Buy t-shirts (no reason needed, because I have a t-shirt addiction problem)
44. Drive (explore Stillwater and just drive and jam out to the radio/ T-Swizzle)
45. Surprise your friends with candy/sweets and encouraging notes when they are stressed (one simple act can make someone’s day a million times greater)
46. Remember that you are not alone EVER! You have God your family, and your friends. I know college can be lonely, but you are never alone in this.
47. Send random positive verses in all your Group-Me’s to make people smile (yes funny Office meme’s are encouraged)
48. ENJOY GROUP-ME (in college you will be added to literally like 50 group-me’s, so just accept it and make the most of it because they never stop:) )
49. Pet dogs when you see them (once I petted a stranger’s dog for 30 min and he just let me)
50. Support your Cowboys in all they do (win or lose). STAY LOYAL AND TRUE ALWAYS!
51. Learn the alma mater and songs, it will make games more fun (and make you a true fan)
52. Do not let the number of insta likes define you (seriously, they do not matter and no one even cares)
53. Be you
54. Do not look for love (it will find you)
55. Laugh and have fun (you are in college and you should be joyful)
56. Respect yourself at all times (You are enough. Period.)
57. Pray for your family and friends (they will appreciate it)
58. Do service (and do not flaunt it, because then that defeats the purpose of it)
59. Enjoy campus and see the beauty in everything
60. Enjoy Homecoming
61. Learn to love pomping (I genuinely love pomping)
62. Appreciate and be friendly to the Orange baggers (your niceness could be the reason they choose OSU)
63. Be respectful of workers at restaurants and tip nicely
64. Be kind to the janitors and thank them when you see them (and ask how they are)
65. Buy random people food
66. Give back to the university always
67. Buy textbooks and don’t expect to get a ton of money back for them (so just sell them to your friends)
68. Hammock always (and when people ask what you are doing, say “I am just hanging out” haha)
69. Enjoy Theta Pond and do not fall in
70. Follow inspiring people on social media (ie Kid President, the Pope, Soul Pancake)
71. Be inspiring
72. Be careful what you post on social media (employers really do look and you want to look your best)
73. Dance like no one is watching
74. Sing all the time
75. Have high expectations (and do not settle for less)
76. Write (it is so amazing to blog and write what you are thinking, plus you are wise so share that with the world)
77. Tell jokes and laugh at your own jokes (I crack up at my own jokes)
78. Read books
79. Have amazing quotes that you love
80. Have a life motto (or a few)(mine are “Be so happy that when other’s look at you they become happy too” and “Never pass up an opportunity to make someone else’s day better”)
81. Enjoy meeting adults
82. Know how to give a great handshake
83. Make eye contact always when talking
84. Motivate yourself to be successful
85. Learn how to be independent
86. I have learned that it is okay to eat alone (and very relaxing)
87. Make good grades
88. Make your parents proud
89. It is okay to watch 30 chick flicks after a break up and eat ice cream, but after that move on (because it is okay and not the end of the world)
90. Buy so many clothes
91. Be modest (modest is hottest after all)
92. Captions are the latest thing, but make sure they show off how amazing you are and do not downgrade yourself
93. Support others and support your friends
94. Talk to your professor’s and go to their office hours (it will benefit you in many ways)
95. Go to the Barn (they have the best Dr. Pepper and attractive fraternity guys are always working there)
96. Buy fuzzy socks and slippers (I use these daily)
97. Compliment people (This one is so important because in college no one feels 100% all the time, so be genuine and compliment people always, it will make them smile)
98. Tell people they have a “beautiful soul” (my friend told me this the other day and I haven’t stopped smiling since he told me that)
99. Use wrinkle/eye cream cream (if I did not use this you would be able to see the bags under my eyes, but since I do you cannot even tell:) )
100. It is okay to average 5-6 hours of sleep a night (I know I did) Because in 20 years you will look back and remember the memories, not the sleep.
101. Use social media to spread awareness of important things such as organizations or benefit nights
102. Learn how to write a professional email to your professor (always include course number, subject, and the class day(s))
103. Make a signature on your email (it will look professional and save you time)
104. Be confident always (you are incredible)
105. Make goals
106. Make lists (and mark things off the lists)
107. Plan for the future
108. Date to marry (not any other reason)
109. Believe in yourself and give yourself pep talks (I give myself pep talks on the daily)
110. Talk to yourself (and ignore the strange looks people might give you)
111. Blare your radio and jam out in your car (Once I serenaded a police officer and he smiled)
112. Ask for prayers (it does not make you look weak, it shows how strong you are)
113. Join an intramural team (you don’t have to be experienced, just have fun)
114. Try new things
115. Know how to be interviewed and what to wear (OSU Career Services)
116. Utilize the Reboot Center (they distress you and have dogs, GO)
117. Go to the MLSC if you need help with math (I basically lived there)
118. Get a tutor if you are struggling (again, you are not showing weakness, you are showing strength)
119. Clean your dorm and take out the trash
120. Appreciate Target and 7-Eleven because you do not have them here (I am working on a petition though, so please pray for me fam)
121. Be a gentleman/woman and have manners always
122. To the dudes: get every door for the lady, get the car door every time (this one is so important), be kind, do not text while together, and make eye contact. (husband material haha)
123. Know grammar and use it wisely (especially on applications)
124. Do not compare yourself to other people, this does NO GOOD at all for either party
125. Do not talk politics with friends (unless y’all agree, but even then be careful)
126. Be understanding
127. Have a favorite Bible Verse (mine is 1 Timothy 4:12 “ Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
128. Journal and mark in your Bible (people with Bible’s falling apart are typically not falling apart themselves)
129. Learn how to two-step and embrace it
130. Buy cowboy boots and buy tons of orange!!:)
131. Do not complain (no one cares)
132. Do not gossip (focus on yourself)
133. Eat at Planet Orange (I eat here twice a day literally)
134. If you are at a store and someone’s card gets declined, if you can afford to please buy what they were going to get
135. It is okay to enjoy watching Chick Flicks
136. It is okay to cry
137. Remember this, “Have you prayed for it as much as you have talked about it?”
138. In the Bible it says, love never fails, so if it fails don’t worry and keep praying:)
139. Do not let people go to bed angry or upset, that goes with driving as well.
140. Always say “I love you” because you never know when it could be your last chance to say it
141. Tell puns all the time, even when people tell you to get out haha
142. If you are late to anything, bring Sonic, donuts, or any food and it will be okay (but be punctual most of the time)
143. If you are going to Sonic or The Barn before going to an event or hanging out with your friends, always ask if they want anything (very courteous and thoughtful of you)
144. Always look on the bright side of things, it will help you have a more positive outlook on life (think in a glass half full mindset, OPTIMISM)
145. Go to the doctor/dentist/etc, to ensure you are healthy always
146. Be persistent (I am VERY persistent and I get stuff done because of it)
147. Be bold (if you want to talk to a cute guy, then walk up to him and do it)
148. Take selfies with strangers (I take them every time I go through the fast food drive thru and it makes the worker’s day better and they feel special=win win)
149. Be punctual and arrive 10-15 minutes early
150. Try to find parking and do not park illegally i.e. the 30 min parking for like 6 hours (I have gotten 2 citations thus far haha)
151. Be witty (it shows intelligence)
152. Be sarcastic (it makes conversation more fun)
153. Try not to cuss (it looks more professional)
154. Visit your high school teachers and thank them for all they have done for you
155. Always write thank you letters (for recommendation letters, anything someone else does for you)
156. Be productive (it will make you more efficient and successful)
157. Use your calendar on your phone to add times (have it remind you a day early/an hour early), so you will always be early
158. Make time for yourself and your friends when you get busy, no one is ever too busy
159. Laugh at yourself and don’t take yourself too seriously
160. Never let the good in someone go unnoticed!! (COMPLIMENTS ALWAYS 24/7)
161. When you see an ambulance drive by or see people in a wreck/on the side of the road please pray for them
162. Tell your friends to “drive safe and text you when they get home” when you depart and if they don’t text you, you text them to make sure they got home safely
163. Befriend the custodial staff and the people who serve you at restaurants (they are incredible people and you should take the time to get to know them)
164. TIP people and don’t be a bad tipper

I hope you enjoyed this list and it makes you excited to be a Cowboy!! I love Oklahoma State:) Go Pokes!!

Love Your Friend,

Lexi Barry:)